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Issue A&A
Volume 368, Number 3, March IV 2001
Page(s) L38 - L41
Section Letters
DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20010208



A&A 368, L38-L41 (2001)
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20010208

Structural and chemical alteration of crystalline olivine under low energy He+ irradiation

K. Demyk1, Ph. Carrez2, H. Leroux2, P. Cordier2, A. P. Jones1, J. Borg1, E. Quirico1, P. I. Raynal1 and L. d'Hendecourt1

1  IAS-CNRS, "Astrochimie Expérimentale", Université Paris XI, Bâtiment 121, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France
2  LSPES, ESA CNRS 8008, Université Sciences et Technologies de Lille, 59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq Cedex, France

(Received 18 December 2000 / Accepted 6 February 2001)

Abstract
We present the results of irradiation experiments on crystalline olivine with He+ ions at energies of 4 and 10 keV and fluences varying from 5 1016 to 1018 ions/cm2. The aim of these experiments is to simulate ion implantation into interstellar grains in shocks in the ISM. Irradiated samples were analysed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The irradiation causes the amorphization of the olivine, at all He+ fluences considered. The thickness of the amorphized region is $40 \pm 15$ nm and $90 \pm 10$ nm for the 4 keV and 10 keV experiments, respectively. The amorphization of the olivine occurs in conjunction with an increase in the porosity of the material due to the formation of bubbles. In addition, the amorphized layer is deficient in oxygen and magnesium. We find that the O/Si and Mg/Si ratios decrease as the He+ fluence increases. These experiments show that the irradiation of dust in supernova shocks can efficiently alter the dust structure and composition. Our result are consistent with the lack of crystalline silicates in the interstellar medium and also with the compositional evolution observed from olivine-type silicates around evolved stars to pyroxene-type silicates around protostars.


Key words: methods: laboratory -- ISM: dust, extinction, evolution -- shock waves

Offprint request: K. Demyk, demyk@ias.fr




© ESO 2001


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