HMT production and sublimation during thermal process of cometary organic analogs. Implications for its detection with the ROSETTA instruments

G. Briani (1) , N. Fray (2) , H. Cottin (2) , Y. Benilan (2) , M.-C. Gazeau (2) , Sébastien Perrier (3)

1 CSNSM AS
2 LISA (UMR_7583) - Laboratoire Interuniversitaire des Systèmes Atmosphériques
3 ANALISS - Analyse inorganique, spectroscopie et spéciation (2011-2013)

One important component of refractory organic residues synthesized from interstellar/cometary ice analogues is hexamethylenetetramine (HMT, C6H12N4). However, HMT has never been observed in any astrophysical or planetary environment so far. We investigated thermal evolution of HMT above ambient temperature. The synthesis of the organic residue (ice deposition, photolysis and warming) as well as its heating to temperatures higher than 300 K are performed by means of the same experimental apparatus. The later also allows in situ continuous monitoring of both the solid organic residue (by FTIR spectrometry) and of the gas species (by mass spectrometry).

Domaines: Planétologie et astrophysique de la terre [astro-ph.EP]; Planétologie et astrophysique de la terre [astro-ph.EP]

G. Briani, N. Fray, H. Cottin, Y. Benilan, M.-C. Gazeau, et al.. HMT production and sublimation during thermal process of cometary organic analogs. Implications for its detection with the ROSETTA instruments. Icarus, 2013, 226, pp.541-551. ⟨10.1016/J.ICARUS.2013.05.038⟩. ⟨in2p3-00920353⟩