22-EPN3-053: Proton Processing of Phenanthrene Ice Mixtures for Application to Titan’s Lower Atmosphere
Visit by Alessandra Candian and Annemieke Petrignani (University of Amsterdam, Netherlands) to TA2.11 Atomki Ice Chamber for Astrophysics / Astrochemistry (ICA) (Hungary).
Dates of visit: 4-8 March 2024
Report Summary: During this TNA visit, the three-ring PAH phenanthrene (C14H10), acetonitrile (CH3CN) and their 1:1 mixture were irradiated using 10 KeV protons. The subsequent products of this processing were then measured using infrared spectroscopy (5000-700 cm-1) and a quadrupole mass spectrometer.
The aim of these experiments was to investigate 1) if energetic processing can modify the structure of solid hydrocarbons and 2) if proton irradiation could trigger the formation of new species. During the visit to Atomki, the team collected infrared spectra of at different proton fluences and then following this, infrared spectra during temperature-programmed desorption (TPD). They also obtained the residues after TPD for ex-situ analysis. The preliminary results show a) the puckering of phenanthrene solid, b) the formation of ethanimine (C2H5N) in acetonitrile solid, c) a complex behaviour of the 1:1 mixture, with puckering and formation of new hydrocarbon species.
Full scientific report published by kind permission of Alessandra Candian and Annemieke Petrignani.
