Translational and internal energy distributions of methyl and hydroxyl radicals produced by 157 nm photodissociation of amorphous solid methanol.

Methanol is typically observed within water-rich interstellar ices and is a source of interstellar organic species. Following the 157 nm photoexcitation of solid methanol at 90 K, desorbed CH(3)(v=0) and OH(v=0,1) radicals have been observed in situ, near the solid surface, using resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) detection methods. Time-of-flight and rotationally resolved REMPI spectra of the desorbed species were measured, and the respective fragment internal energy and kinetic energy distributions were obtained. Photoproduction mechanisms for CH(3) and OH radicals from solid methanol are discussed. The formation of O((1)D and (3)P) atoms and H(2)O was investigated, but the yield of these species was found to be negligible. CH(3) products arising following the photoexcitation of water-methanol mixed ice showed similar kinetic and internal energy distributions to those from neat methanol ice.