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Laboratory simulation of the photoprocessing and warm-up of cometary and pre-cometary ices: Production and analysis of complex organic molecules

Authors :
Louis J. Allamandola
Scott A. Sandford
W. A. Schutte
Source :
Advances in Space Research. 12:47-51
Publication Year :
1992
Publisher :
Elsevier BV, 1992.

Abstract

The recent missions to Comet Halley detected large quantities of organic material on grains as well as organic molecules in the gas phase. A possible origin of these materials is the energetic processing of ice mantles on the grains prior to comet formation, either in the pre-solar nebula or the interstellar medium. This process was simulated in the laboratory by depositing interstellar ice analogs (H2O/CH3OH/CO/NH3) on a cold (10 K) substrate with simultaneous UV irradiation. The material evaporating during warm-up of the photolyzed ice as well as the residue remaining at room temperature was analyzed by a number of techniques. It was found that a large number of organic molecules of various complexity are synthesized during the simulation process, stressing the possible significance of UV photolysis for producing the organic Comet material.

Details

ISSN :
02731177
Volume :
12
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Advances in Space Research
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....ea16ec015381587e4e19b4c2c8d6d6ea