title: Efficient electron-promoted desorption of benzene from water ice surfaces.
abstract: Desorption of benzene (C6H6) from solid water surfaces [compact amorphous solid water (c-ASW) and crystalline ice (CI)] during irradiation of ultrathin solid films with low energy (250-300 eV) electrons has been investigated. The observed desorption behaviour is complex but typically two desorption components, with particularly large cross-sections, were present in the observed signal. A fast component, with a cross-section up to 10(-15) cm(2), is attributed to desorption of isolated C6H6 molecules that are hydrogen-bonded to small clusters of water (H2O) molecules on the solid water surface. A slower component, with a cross-section of ca. 10(-17) cm(2), is attributed mainly to desorption from larger C6H6 islands on the solid water surface. Possible desorption mechanisms are proposed and astrophysical implications are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, EH14 4AS, Edinburgh, UK. dm290@hw.ac.uk marchionedemian@gmail.com m.r.s.mccoustra@hw.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Demian
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marchione
authors.affiliation: Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Münster, Germany. john.thrower@uni-muenster.de.
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Thrower
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, EH14 4AS, Edinburgh, UK. dm290@hw.ac.uk marchionedemian@gmail.com m.r.s.mccoustra@hw.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Martin R S
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: McCoustra