Proton and Electron Irradiations of CH4:H2O Mixed Ices

The organic chemistry occurring in interstellar environments may lead to the production of complex molecules that are relevant emergence life. Therefore, order understand origins life itself, it is necessary probe carbon-bearing under conditions simulate space. Several these regions, such as dense molecular cores, exposed ionizing radiation form galactic cosmic rays, which act an important driver destruction and synthesis. In this paper, we report results a comparative systematic study irradiation CH4:H2O ice mixtures by 1 MeV protons 2 keV electrons at 20 K. We demonstrate our irradiations result formation number new products, including both simple daughter C2H6, C3H8, C2H2, CH3OH, CO, CO2, probably also H2CO. A comparison different regimes has revealed proton resulted greater abundance radiolytic compared electron irradiation, despite lower dose having been administered. These context astrochemistry within cores clouds, well on outer Solar System objects.