Raman spectroscopy of ion‐irradiated astrophysically relevant materials

Solid objects in space (interstellar grains, comets, interplanetary dust particles, etc.) are continuously exposed to energetic processes, such as cosmic ion irradiation, that influence their evolution. In this paper we present an experimental study, carried out by Raman spectroscopy, of the effects induced by ion irradiation on frozen ices and refractory materials. If the irradiated ice mixture contains a relevant amount of carbon atoms, the ice is converted into an organic residue (stable at room temperature), which at high irradiation dose evolves toward a hydrogenated amorphous carbon. Here we show that material similar to that produced in the laboratory by ion irradiation of frozen ice mixtures and refractory materials can be formed in space by cosmic ion irradiation. This finding has been recently confirmed by the Stardust mission, which revealed in some of the cometary particles collected in space and returned to earth carbonaceous materials that have been processed by cosmic ion irradiation.