Photochemistry vs. radiation chemistry of cosmic ice analogs

Abstract

While gas-phase reactions and surface reactions on bare carbonaceous or siliceous dust grains contribute to cosmic chemistry, the energetic processing of cosmic ices via photochemistry and radiation chemistry is thought to be the dominant mechanism for the cosmic synthesis of prebiotic molecules. Because most previous laboratory astrochemical studies have used light sources that produce >10 eV photons and are, therefore, capable of ionizing cosmic ice analogs, discerning the role of photochemistry vs. radiation chemistry in astrochemistry is challenging. By using a source whose photon energy does not exceed 8 eV, we have studied ammonia and methanol cosmic ice reactions attributable solely to photochemistry. We compare these results to those obtained in the same ultrahigh vacuum chamber with 1 keV electrons which instead initiate radiation chemistry in cosmic ice analogs.