Oxidant Loading of Icy Satellite Surfaces by Re-deposition and Subsequent Surface Chemistry

Details Oxidant Loading of Icy Satellite Surfaces by Re-deposition and Subsequent Surface Chemistry Oxidant Loading of Icy Satellite Surfaces by Re-deposition and Subsequent Surface Chemistry

Oct 2010

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010dps....42.4819c&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #42, #48.19

Mathematics

Logic

Scientific paper

The presence of oxidants such as molecular oxygen and hydrogen peroxide is intriguing in the study of icy outer solar system bodies due to their possible astrobiological importance. Such oxidants are thought to be present due to the radiolysis of icy planetary bodies by energetic particles. Our understanding of the oxidant composition comes from reflectance spectroscopy of the near surface tied with laboratory experiments that simulate the irradiation processes. Despite nearly over two decades of laboratory research and 15 years since the discovery of molecular oxygen on Ganymede, laboratory experiments still cannot fully replicate the production, trapping and subsequent spectroscopy of astronomical observations. Is it time to consider that processes other than radiolysis of a static ice could influence surface composition? Given that the astronomical reflectance data is sampling only the very near surface of icy bodies, could previously unrecognized surface chemical reactions effect the near surface composition. Using novel laboratory experiments as evidence, we propose that re-deposition of water molecules and hydroxyl radicals can create oxidant-rich ices that behave dierently than irradiated ices, that may help to explain the production and trapping of molecular oxygen. This paradigm shift may have important consequences in how we use laboratory data to interpret astronomical data.

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