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Organic chemistry by irradiation in space
1Laboratoire Rene Bernas, Orsay Campus, France.
Abstract:
The irradiation of grains and/or ices by particles from solar or stellar winds, as well as cosmic rays, induces the synthesis of molecular species. We have shown by in-situ infrared spectroscopy of irradiated samples that this chemistry may be responsible for the presence of organic compounds in a large variety of astrophysical sites such as: lunar and asteroidal regoliths, cometary nucleus, rings and satellites of outer planets, circumstellar shells, interstellar clouds. We present our experimental results concerning the mature and efficiency of C and N irradiation chemistries, and give plausible astrophysical implications.