Studies of proton irradiated H2O + CO2 and H2O + CO ices and analysis of synthesized molecules

Infrared spectra of H2O + CO2 and H2O + CO ices before and after proton irradiation showed that a major reaction in both mixtures was the interconversion of CO2 yields CO. Radiation synthesized organic compounds such as carbonic acid were identified in the H2O + CO2 ice. Different chemical pathways...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Moore, M. H., Khanna, R., Donn, B.
Format: Other/Unknown Material
Language:unknown
Published: 1991
Subjects:
90
Online Access:http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19910070168
Description
Summary:Infrared spectra of H2O + CO2 and H2O + CO ices before and after proton irradiation showed that a major reaction in both mixtures was the interconversion of CO2 yields CO. Radiation synthesized organic compounds such as carbonic acid were identified in the H2O + CO2 ice. Different chemical pathways dominate in the H2O + CO ice in which formaldehyde, methanol, ethanol, and methane were identified. Sublimed material was also analyzed using a mass spectrometer. Implications of these results are discussed in reference to comets.