Spectral Nature of CO2 Adsorption on Meteorites (original) (raw)

Introduction: Outer main belt asteroids provide insight to the early solar nebula chemistry and composition. Volatiles such as carbon dioxide serve as markers for materials that primarily condensed in the outer portions of the solar system. Large quantities likely travelled into the inner solar system via comets and asteroids [3], probably as ices, but possibly in different physical states. CO2 has also been detected in surfaces too warm for CO2 to exist and may be held by structural trapping, physisorption, and chemisorption [2]. Here we investigate the adsorption of CO2 onto outer main belt carbonaceous chondrite meteorite matrix material; material thought to reflect regions of the primordial solar nebula that did not undergo significant heating (>200 C) [6] and thus have potentially aided in the delivery of CO2 into the inner solar system. Additionally, understanding the presence of CO2 on meteorites may provide insight for potential adsorption processes in non-ice materials o...