Journal
ICARUS
Volume 382, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE
DOI: 10.1016/j.icarus.2022.115023
Keywords
Satellites; Surfaces; Spectroscopy; Atmospheres; Chemistry; Prebiotic chemistry
Categories
Funding
- Villum Foundation [36213]
- Lundbeck Foundation [R322-2019-2461]
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Experiments show that quartz grains in a methane atmosphere acquire a reddish color on their surface, similar to what is observed on Triton, Pluto, and Charon. The coated grains are found to contain a substance with C-C and C-O bonds, with an average thickness of 2.3 angstrom. The measurements suggest a pathway for synthesis of complex molecules with C = C bonds on planets and moons with a solid surface and a methane-containing atmosphere.
Experiments in quartz ampoules that simulate the saltation of quartz grains in a methane atmosphere show that the solid phase acquires a reddish color, reminiscent of the color observed on Triton, Pluto, and Charon. Reflection spectroscopy of the coated grains show a wide, continuous absorption spectrum peaking at near-UV wavelengths, in line with the reddish color. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicates the grains are coated with a substance containing C-C and C-O bonds, and estimates the average thickness of the surface layer to 2.3 angstrom. Solid state Raman measurements of the coating shows a transition at 1540 cm(-1). A model is proposed to describe these measurements. The model is a polydiene, anchored to the quartz surface. Electron structure calculations show that a polydiene with around 8 CH units reproduces the measurements. AFM-IR experiments support this result. Our findings suggest a pathway for synthesis of complex molecules with C = C bonds on planets and moons with a solid surface and a methane-containing atmosphere.
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