Other
Scientific paper
Sep 1996
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1996dps....28.0912m&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #28, #09.12; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 28, p.1090
Other
Scientific paper
Ethane (C_2H_6) and methane (CH_4) were detected in Comet C/1996 B2 Hyakutake (Mumma et al., Science, 1996, 272, 1310). The abundances relative to water were C_2H_6 = 0.4 and CH_4 = 0.7. Acetylene (C_2H_2) was detected by infrared observations with an abundance relative to H_2O of 0.1--0.4 (Tokunaga et al. IAU Circular 6378, 1996). It was suggested by Mumma et al. that these abundances might be the result of photolysis or ion irradiation processing of interstellar ice grain mantles. We have studied the irradiation of H_2O + CH_4 and H_2O + C_2H_2 ices condensed on a cold mirror at 15 K. Infrared spectra of these films before and after 0.8 MeV proton irradiation were used to identify a variety of synthesized organic molecules. In H_2O + CH_4 ices, the formation of C_2H_6 at the expense of CH_4 resulted in a C_2H_6:CH_4 ratio of 0.03--0.3, depending on the initial CH_4 concentration. Other molecules identified were propane, methanol, ethanol, acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, CO, and CO_2. The formation of C_2H_6 appears to be by dimerization of CH_3 (methyl) radicals in H_2O + CH_4 ices. In the H_2O + C_2H_2 ices, the formation of C_2H_4 and C_2H_6 was observed. The C_2H_6:CH_4 and C_2H_6:C_2H_2 ratios were about 0.8. Other molecules identified were methanol, ethanol, acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, CO, and CO_2. H atom addition appears to be a reasonable mechanism for the formation of C_2H_6 in H_2O + C_2H_2. These and other experiments will be presented. Implications for understanding similar cometary-type ices will be discussed.
Hudson Reggie L.
Moore Marla H.
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