Ethane clathrate hydrate infrared signatures for solar system remote sensing

Hydrocarbons such as methane and ethane are present in many solar system objects, including comets, moons planets. The interaction of these hydrocarbons with water ice at low temperatures could lead to the formation inclusion compounds, clathrate hydrates (water based host cages trapping guest molecules), modifying their retention, stability therefore evolution. occurrence on surfaces be established by remote sensing spectroscopic signatures. In this study, we measure analyse hydrate spectra recorded temperature range from 5.3 160 K, covering most interest for objects. Specific infrared band signatures identified encaged guest. We provide evidence that outcrops can detected surface planetary bodies.