ELECTRON IRRADIATION OF KUIPER BELT SURFACE ICES: TERNARY N{sub 2}-CH{sub 4}-CO MIXTURES AS A CASE STUDY
The space weathering of icy Kuiper Belt Objects was investigated in this case study by exposing methane (CH{sub 4}) and carbon monoxide (CO) doped nitrogen (N{sub 2}) ices at 10 K to ionizing radiation in the form of energetic electrons. Online and in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was utilized to monitor the radiation-induced chemical processing of these ices. Along with isocyanic acid (HNCO), the products could be mainly derived from those formed in irradiated binary ices of the N{sub 2}-CH{sub 4} and CO-CH{sub 4} systems: nitrogen-bearing products were found in the form of hydrogen cyanide (HCN), hydrogen isocyanide (HNC), diazomethane (CH{sub 2}N{sub 2}), and its radical fragment (HCN{sub 2}); oxygen-bearing products were of acetaldehyde (CH{sub 3}CHO), formyl radical (HCO), and formaldehyde (H{sub 2}CO). As in the pure ices, the methyl radical (CH{sub 3}) and ethane (C{sub 2}H{sub 6}) were also detected, as were carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) and the azide radical (N{sub 3}). Based on the temporal evolution of the newly formed products, kinetic reaction schemes were then developed to fit the temporal profiles of the newly formed species, resulting in numerical sets of rate constants. The current study highlights important constraints on the preferential formation of isocyanic acid (HNCO) over hydrogen cyanide (HCN) and hydrogen isocyanide (HNC), thus guiding the astrobiological and chemical evolution of those distant bodies.
- OSTI ID:
- 22092095
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 758, Issue 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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