Spectra and Photochemistry of Relevance to Icy Outer Solar System Objects

The Astrochemistry Lab at NASA Ames (www.astrochem.org) has an interest in the organic photochemistry of extraterrestrial ices, having traditionally performed experiments under interstellar conditions. We have recently embarked on projects for PG\&G to measure spectra and elucidate the photochemistry of ices relevant to outer Solar System objects. 1) We will report on the determination of real and imaginary indicies of refraction of H2O and N2 dominated ices containing simple, common, extraterrestrial molecules such as NH3, HCN, formaldehyde, \& methanol. 2) We will compare and contrast the photochemistry of H2O ices containing organic molecules at 100 K with previously reported work at 15 K.