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AQUILA: A laboratory facility for the irradiation of astrochemical ice analogs by keV ions

Rácz, R., Kovács, S. T. S., Lakatos, G., Rahul, K. K., Mifsud, D. V., Herczku, P., Sulik, B., Juhász, Z., Perduk, Z., Ioppolo, S., and others. (2024) AQUILA: A laboratory facility for the irradiation of astrochemical ice analogs by keV ions. Review of Scientific Instruments, 95 (9). Article Number 095105. ISSN 0034-6748. E-ISSN 1089-7623. (doi:10.1063/5.0207967) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:107233)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided. (Contact us about this Publication)
Official URL:
https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0207967

Abstract

The detection of various molecular species, including complex organic molecules relevant to biochemical and geochemical processes, in astronomical settings, such as the interstellar medium or the outer solar system, has led to the increased need for a better understanding of the chemistry occurring in these cold regions of space. In this context, the chemistry of ices prepared and processed at cryogenic temperatures has proven to be of particular interest due to the fact that many interstellar molecules are believed to originate within the icy mantles adsorbed on nano- and micro-scale dust particles. The chemistry leading to the formation of such molecules may be initiated by ionizing radiation in the form of galactic cosmic rays or stellar winds, and thus, there has been an increased interest in commissioning experimental setups capable of simulating and better characterizing this solid-phase radiation astrochemistry. In this article, we describe a new facility called AQUILA (Atomki-Queen’s University Ice Laboratory for Astrochemistry), which has been purposefully designed to study the chemical evolution of ices analogous to those that may be found in the dense interstellar medium or the outer solar system as a result of their exposure to keV ion beams. The results of some ion irradiation studies of CH3OH ice at 20 K are discussed to exemplify the experimental capabilities of the AQUILA as well as to highlight its complementary nature to another laboratory astrochemistry setup at our institute.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1063/5.0207967
Subjects: Q Science
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > Physics and Astronomy
Funders: European Cooperation in Science and Technology (https://ror.org/01bstzn19)
SWORD Depositor: JISC Publications Router
Depositing User: JISC Publications Router
Date Deposited: 25 Sep 2024 13:28 UTC
Last Modified: 26 Sep 2024 12:57 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/107233 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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