Processing of low carbon content interstellar ice analogues by cosmic rays: implications for the chemistry around oxygen-rich stars

Radiolysis of a homogeneous H 2 O:H 2 CO:CH 3 OH (100:2:0.8) ice mixture by fast heavy ions is performed in the laboratory in an attempt to simulate the interaction of cosmic rays with frozen surfaces at 15 K. Bombarded by 220-MeV 16 O 7 + ions, the ice layer is thin enough to be traversed by projectiles at approximately constant velocity and with charge states close to the equilibrium one. Analysis by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) reveals that the molecular species formed are CH 4 , CO 2 , CO, HCO, HCOO -and CH 3 OCHO. The formation and dissociation cross-sections of all observed daughter molecules are determined. As a control procedure, a carbon budget is performed as the beam fluence increases. The observed radiation effects lead to a general observation that the destruction cross-sections of condensed gases by heavy ions are ruled by a power law that is a function of the electronic stopping power: