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

The infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) absorption spectra of pure solid N-2 and CH4 diluted in solid N-2 (1/100) irradiated with energetic electrons at 10 K were obtained. The IR absorption measurements of the electron-bombarded pure N-2 solid reveal the formation of N-3 and N-3(+), which was confirmed by the observed electronic transitions A(2)Sigma u(+) <- X (2)Pi(g) of N-3 and A (3)Pi(u) <- X (3)Sigma(-)(g) of N-3(+). In the case of N-2 ice containing a small proportion of CH4, we have identified the products of irradiated CH4/N-2 ice, including N-3, 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.