Journal
ICARUS
Volume 212, Issue 2, Pages 941-949Publisher
ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE
DOI: 10.1016/j.icarus.2011.01.034
Keywords
Ices, IR spectroscopy; Kuiper belt; Transneptunian objects; Satellites, Composition; Pluto
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Funding
- Mt. Cuba Astronomical Foundation
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration [NNX10AG43G]
- National Science Foundation [AST-1004107]
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The existence of strong absorption bands of singly deuterated methane (CH3D) at wavelengths where normal methane (CH4) absorbs comparatively weakly could enable remote measurement of D/H ratios in methane ice on outer Solar System bodies. We performed laboratory transmission spectroscopy experiments, recording spectra at wavelengths from 1 to 6 mu m to study CH3D bands at 2.47, 2.87, and 4.56 mu m, wavelengths where ordinary methane absorption is weak. We report temperature-dependent absorption coefficients of these bands when the CH3D is diluted in CH4 ice and also when it is dissolved in N-2 ice, and describe how these absorption coefficients can be combined with data from the literature to simulate arbitrary D/H ratio absorption coefficients for CH4 ice and for CH4 in N-2 ice. We anticipate these results motivating new telescopic observations to measure D/H ratios in CH4 ice on Triton, Pluto, Eris, and Makemake. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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