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D.L. Chilton (The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga), R. Mohr, P. Gerakines (The University of Alabama at Birmingham)
The ultraviolet (UV) photolysis of astrophysical ices is a possible source of many gas-phase interstellar molecules, as well as refractory organic species found in the interstellar medium (ISM), comets, and meteorites. A great deal of information concerning the UV photolysis of astrophysical ices has been gained through laboratory simulations of various ice analogs. However, these experiments do not usually provide a detailed account of the reaction pathways leading to some of the important products. In an attempt to more fully understand the processes that occur during ice photolysis, we have attempted to simulate the interactions of UV photons with ice matrices using a computer model. Two models are currently being developed, using both the Java and Objective-C programming languages. Java is used to provide a simple way to model basic ices on a small scale, whereas Objective-C will be used to allow efficient calculations on a large scale and parallel processing to speed up intermediary calculations. Some simple, homogeneous ice matrices have been considered as a starting point thus far. The mid-term goal of this project is to simulate the results of laboratory experiments performed on thin ice films. Ultimately the goal is to simulate the complex, mixed ices that correspond to those present in astrophysical environments and on various surfaces.
This work has been supported by an NSF-REU Site Grant at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: David-Chilton@utc.edu
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 35#5
© 2003. The American Astronomical Soceity.