Irradiation of methanol ice on a sulfur-rich dust analogue at 25 K: a mid-infrared spectroscopic study
Journal article, 2026
Despite possibly representing a comparatively large reservoir of sulfur in extraterrestrial environments, the role of sulfur allotropes in the radiation-driven chemistry occurring in low-temperature ices in astrophysical media (e.g., pre-stellar nebulae or the outer Solar System) is an underexplored topic. Previous work has shown that the irradiation of astrophysical ice analogues composed of simple molecules on top of layers of allotropic sulfur results in the formation of simple, inorganic sulfur-bearing molecules in the ice phase. Our present work seeks to qualitatively determine whether the analogous irradiation of methanol on top of allotropic sulfur may lead to the formation of organosulfur molecules, as well as H2S. Using in situ mid-infrared absorption spectroscopy, we have found compelling evidence for the formation of SO2, CS2, H2SO4, and a number of sulfur oxyanions, as well as tentative evidence for H2S formation. Evidence for the formation of thiol molecules was inconclusive. Our experimental results are discussed in the context of their applicability to sulfur astrochemistry.
Author
D. V. Mifsud
University Of Kent
HUN REN Inst Nucl Res Atomki
Z. Kanuchova
Slovak Academy of Sciences
HUN REN Inst Nucl Res Atomki
Olivier Auriacombe
Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Terahertz and Millimetre Wave Laboratory
P. Herczku
HUN REN Inst Nucl Res Atomki
R. Racz
HUN REN Inst Nucl Res Atomki
S. T. S. Kovacs
HUN REN Inst Nucl Res Atomki
D. Qasim
Southwest Res Inst
B. Sulik
HUN REN Inst Nucl Res Atomki
Z. Juhasz
HUN REN Inst Nucl Res Atomki
I. Vajda
HUN REN Inst Nucl Res Atomki
I. Rajta
HUN REN Inst Nucl Res Atomki
U. Raut
Southwest Res Inst
S. Biri
HUN REN Inst Nucl Res Atomki
S. Ioppolo
Aarhus University
N. J. Mason
University Of Kent
HUN REN Inst Nucl Res Atomki
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics
1463-9076 (ISSN) 1463-9084 (eISSN)
Vol. In PressSubject Categories (SSIF 2025)
Materials Chemistry
Other Chemistry Topics
Separation Processes
Other Chemical Engineering
Catalytic Processes
Physical Chemistry
DOI
10.1039/d5cp03973h
PubMed
41574695
Related datasets
Raw data for "Irradiation of methanol ice on a sulfur-rich dust analogue at 25 K: A mid-infrared spectroscopic study" [dataset]
DOI: 10.17632/6rzgmwcwpm.1