Journal
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL
Volume 729, Issue 1, Pages -Publisher
IOP PUBLISHING LTD
DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/729/1/68
Keywords
astrobiology; astrochemistry; cosmic rays; ISM: individual objects (Sagittarius B2); ISM: molecules; methods: laboratory
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Funding
- National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) Astrobiology Institute through the Office of Space Science [NNA09DA77A]
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The present laboratory study simulated cosmic-ray-induced grain chemistry of nitrogen-bearing organic molecules in interstellar and cometary ices. Model ices of ammonia (NH3)-methane (CH4) were prepared and irradiated at 10 K under contamination-free, ultrahigh vacuum conditions with energetic electrons generated in the track of galactic cosmic-ray particles. The radiolysis-induced processing of nitrogen-bearing molecules was then monitored on line and in situ by a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer and a quadrupole mass spectrometer during the irradiation phase and subsequent warm-up phases. The analogous processing was also achieved in ammonia (NH3) and six hydrocarbon (CnH2n+2; n = 1-6) ices. The formation of cyanide anion (CN-) was commonly observed in both ices at 10 K, the temporal column density fit of which traced back the involvement of methylamine (CH3NH2)-based intermediates. Traces of CH3NH2 were evident at about 110 K through thin ammonia matrices in sublimation. From the point of radiative transfer, we further constrain the formationmechanism of aminoacetonitrile (NH2CH2CN) on icy grains of Sgr B-2(N) under a cosmic-ray-induced photon field.
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