ULTRAVIOLET AND INFRARED SPECTRA OF ELECTRON-BOMBARDED SOLID NITROGEN AND METHANE DILUTED IN SOLID NITROGEN

Abstract

The infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) absorption spectra of pure solid N2 and CH4 diluted in solid N2 (1/100) irradiated with energetic electrons at 10 K were obtained. The IR absorption measurements of the electron-bombarded pure N2 solid reveal the formation of N3 and N3+, which was confirmed by the observed electronic transitions A2Σu+← X2Πg of N3 and A3Πu ← X3Σg− of N3+. In the case of N2 ice containing a small proportion of CH4, we have identified the products of irradiated CH4/N2 ice, including N3, CnN (n = 1–3), CN2, (CN)2, CH3N, HCN2, HC2N, C(NH)2, HNC, HCN, CH3, C2H, C2H2, CN−, NH3+, and HC3N+. UV absorption measurement of the ice sample was carried out and the possible carriers associated with the observed absorption bands were assigned and discussed.