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R. Wu, D. Judge (University of Southern California), B. Cheng (Synchrotron Radiation Research Center), USC Collaboration, SRRC Collaboration
Experimental results on the spectral identification of IR absorption features produced through EUV photolysis of CH4 + H2O (100:1), CH4 + H2O (1:7) and CH4 + H2O (3:7) mixed ice systems at 10 K are obtained. A tunable intense synchrotron radiation light source available at the Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu, Taiwan, was employed to provide the required EUV photons. In this study the photon wavelengths used to irradiate the icy samples were selected to center at the prominent solar lines, namely, 121.6 nm, 58.4 nm, and 30.4 nm. While new molecular species were formed, the original reactants, H2O and CH4, were depleted due to their conversion to other species. In the case of CH4 + H2O (100:1), we identify IR absorption features of CH2, CH3, C2H6, C3H8, CO and CO2. In the cases of CH4 + H2O (1:7) and CH4 + H2O (3:7) mixed ices we find that the major products are CO, CO2, and H2CO. Evidently all radicals, e.g., CH2, CH3, are fully converted to CO, CO2, and H2CO for the case of low CH4 to H2O mixing ratios. The detailed results will be presented. This research is based on work supported by the NASA Planetary Atmospheres Program under Grant NAG5-11960.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 34, #3< br> © 2002. The American Astronomical Soceity.