The Development of a Submillimeter Spectroscopic Method for Detecting Photodesorbed Ices

Abstract

This work aims to reveal new information about the gas and ice compositions of early star-forming regions and planetary/cometary atmospheres. To shed light on this topic, a new approach for analyzing the desorbed products of laboratory ices is being developed. The technique consists of the submillimeter spectroscopic analysis of thermally and photo-processed ices. This is the same spectroscopic technique used to remotely probe gas-phase compositions of interstellar space and planetary/cometary atmospheres. Therefore, the laboratory spectroscopic data provided are directly comparable to spectra collected via ground-and space-based telescopes. Furthermore, this technique is capable of distinguishing branching ratios of desorbed isomers, something that traditional laboratory ice studies have always struggled with. Experimental design and new results will be discussed.