Open AccessO atom production in water ice: Implications for O 2 formation on icy satellites
Author(s) -
Cooper Paul D.,
Moore Marla H.,
Hudson Reggie L.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: planets
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/2009je003563
Subject(s) - water ice , astrobiology , jovian , icy moon , enceladus , saturn , liquid water , atmosphere (unit) , irradiation , planet , amorphous ice , jupiter (rocket family) , oxygen , physics , chemistry , astronomy , meteorology , amorphous solid , nuclear physics , organic chemistry , space shuttle , quantum mechanics , thermodynamics
We have found that O atoms are a primary product in the irradiation of water‐ice with 0.8 MeV protons. This observation has implications in understanding the chemical reactions that occur to produce molecular oxygen (O 2 ) in such laboratory ices, as well as ices found on the surfaces of Ganymede and Europa, and the ice particles present in Saturn's rings. We estimate that in irradiated water‐ice, O 2 can be formed at a lower limit of 0.07% by number relative to water and is in agreement with observations of the icy Jovian satellites.