Guillermo M. Muñoz Caro

Organic compounds on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko revealed by COSAC mass spectrometry

Comets harbor the most pristine material in our solar system in the form of ice, dust, silicates, and refractory organic material with some interstellar heritage. The evolved gas analyzer Cometary Sampling and Composition (COSAC) experiment aboard Rosetta’s Philae lander was designed for in situ analysis of organic molecules on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Twenty-five minutes after Philae’s initial comet touchdown, the COSAC mass spectrometer took a spectrum in sniffing mode, which displayed a suite of 16 organic compounds, including many nitrogen-bearing species but no sulfur-bearing species, and four compounds—methyl isocyanate, acetone, propionaldehyde, and acetamide—that had not previously been reported in comets.

Ultraviolet Photoprocessing of Interstellar Dust Mantles as a Source of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Other Conjugated Molecules

By co-depositing a gas mixture of simple carbon- and nitrogen-containing molecules with water on a 10 K surface and exposing it to ultraviolet radiation, we were able to form a residue. This residue was then placed aboard the EURECA satellite behind a magnesium fluoride window and exposed to solar radiation for 4 months before it was returned and analyzed. The resulting residue is believed to simulate the photoprocessing of organic dust mantles in the interstellar medium. Mass spectrometry indicated that the photoprocessing created a rich mixture of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and other conjugated organic molecules, which may explain how PAHs are replenished in space.

Crystallization of CO2 ice and the absence of amorphous CO2 ice in space

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is one of the most relevant and abundant species in astrophysical and atmospheric media. In particular, CO2 ice is present in several solar system bodies, as well as in interstellar and circumstellar ice mantles. The amount of CO2 in ice mantles and the presence of pure CO2 ice are significant indicators of the temperature history of dust in protostars. It is therefore important to know if CO2 is mixed with other molecules in the ice matrix or segregated and whether it is present in an amorphous or crystalline form. We apply a multidisciplinary approach involving IR spectroscopy in the laboratory, theoretical modeling of solid structures, and comparison with astronomical observations. We generate an unprecedented highly amorphous CO2 ice and study its crystallization both by thermal annealing and by slow accumulation of monolayers from the gas phase under an ultrahigh vacuum. Structural changes are followed by IR spectroscopy. We also devise theoretical models to reproduce different CO2 ice structures. We detect a preferential in-plane orientation of some vibrational modes of crystalline CO2. We identify the IR features of amorphous CO2 ice, and, in particular, we provide a theoretical explanation for a band at 2,328 cm−1 that dominates the spectrum of the amorphous phase and disappears when the crystallization is complete. Our results allow us to rule out the presence of pure and amorphous CO2 ice in space based on the observations available so far, supporting our current view of the evolution of CO2 ice.

New measurements on water ice photodesorption and product formation under ultraviolet irradiation

The photodesorption of icy grain mantles has been claimed to be responsible for the abundance of gas-phase molecules toward cold regions. Being water a ubiquitous molecule, it is crucial to understand its role in photochemistry and its behavior under an ultraviolet field. We report new measurements on the UV-photodesorption of water ice and its H

Organics in Space: From Interstellar Dust to Comets

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First Detection of Interstellar S2H

, OH, and O

Introduction to Spectroscopy and Astronomical Observations

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Monte Carlo Simulations of the Formation and Morphology of Interstellar Ices

photoproducts using a calibrated quadrupole mass spectrometer. Solid water was deposited under ultra-high-vacuum conditions and then UV-irradiated at various temperatures starting from 8 K with a microwave discharged hydrogen lamp. Deuterated water was used for confirmation of the results. We found a photodesorption yield of 1.3

Infrared Spectroscopy and Programmed Thermal Desorption of Ice Mixtures

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UV Photolysis of Hydrogenated Amorphous Carbons of Astrophysical Interest

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