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Residue from vacuum ultraviolet irradiation of benzene ices: Insights into the physical structure of astrophysical dust

Rahul, K.K., Shivakarthik, E., Meka, J.K., Das, A., Chandrasekaran, V., Rajasekhar, B.N., Lo, J.-I., Cheng, B.-M., Janardhan, P., Bhardwaj, A., and others. (2019) Residue from vacuum ultraviolet irradiation of benzene ices: Insights into the physical structure of astrophysical dust. Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy, . p. 117797. ISSN 1386-1425. (doi:10.1016/j.saa.2019.117797) (KAR id:79899)

Abstract

We have irradiated benzene ices deposited at 4 K on a cold, interstellar dust analog with vacuum ultraviolet (9 eV) irradiation for periods lasting from several hours to nearly a day, after which the irradiated ice was warmed to room temperature. Vacuum ultraviolet photoabsorption spectra of the aromatic residue left at room temperature were recorded and showed the synthesis of benzene derivatives. The residue was also imaged using an electron microscope and revealed crystals of various sizes and shapes. The result of our experiments suggests such geometrically shaped dust particles may be a key component of interstellar dust.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1016/j.saa.2019.117797
Uncontrolled keywords: Vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy, Interstellar medium, Benzene ice, Aromatic residue, Astrophysical dust
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > Physics and Astronomy
Depositing User: Nigel Mason
Date Deposited: 31 Jan 2020 10:04 UTC
Last Modified: 05 Nov 2024 12:44 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/79899 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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