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The Cosmic Ice Laboratory
Cosmic Ice Laboratory

Over the past 20 years we have measured thousands of infrared spectra. These spectra are used to identify products of chemical reactions in ices found in the Solar System and the interstellar medium.

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Infrared Spectral Database

Links to IR spectra in various formats are available in the following tables.

PLEASE NOTE: If you find these spectra helpful in your research, please acknowledge any use by reference to "Moore et al." and the NASA Web site http://www-691.gsfc.nasa.gov/cosmic.ice.lab.

Mid-Infrared (4000-400 cm-1) Reference Spectra of Molecules Diluted in H2O at 15 - 20 K
Ice Composition Description Available Formats
Carbon Oxides
H2O + CO (20:1) Water + Carbon Monoxide (20:1) at T = 16 K ASCII [74 kb]
SPC [20 kb]
PDF [25 kb]
H2O + CO2 (10:1) Water + Carbon Dioxide (10:1) at T = 17 K ASCII [59 kb]
SPC [16 kb]
PDF [23 kb]
Alkanes
H2O + CH4 (20:1) Water + Methane (20:1) at T = 15 K ASCII [56 kb]
SPC [16 kb]
PDF [22 kb]
H2O + C2H6 (20:1) Water + Ethane (20:1) at T = 15 K ASCII [56 kb]
SPC [16 kb]
PDF [22 kb]
H2O + C3H8 (22:1) Water + Propane (22:1) at T = 16 K ASCII [58 kb]
SPC [16 kb]
PDF [20 kb]
H2O + C4H10 (20:1) Water + Butane (20:1) at T = 16 K ASCII [59 kb]
SPC [15 kb]
PDF [22 kb]
Alkenes
H2O + C2H4 (20:1) Water + Ethylene (20:1) at T = 15 K ASCII [57 kb]
SPC [15 kb]
PDF [22 kb]
H2O + C3H6 (17:1) Water + Propylene (17:1) at T = 17 K ASCII [58 kb]
SPC [16 kb]
PDF [22 kb]
Alkynes
H2O + C2H2 (15:1) Water + Acetylene (15:1) at T = 15 K ASCII [58 kb]
SPC [16 kb]
PDF [20 kb]
H2O + C3H4 (approx. 20:1) Water + Methylacetylene (approx. 20:1) at T = 16 K ASCII [59 kb]
SPC [16 kb]
PDF [21 kb]
Dienes
H2O + C3H4 (13:1) Water + Allene (13:1) at T = 17 K ASCII [60 kb]
SPC [16 kb]
PDF [22 kb]
H2O + C4H6 (20:1) Water + Butadiene (20:1) ASCII [56 kb]
SPC [16 kb]
PDF [22 kb]
Alcohols
H2O + CH3OH (5:1) Water + Methanol (5:1) ASCII [224 kb]
SPC [59 kb]
PDF [33 kb]
H2O + C2H5OH (20:1) Water + Ethanol (20:1) at T = 15 K ASCII [56 kb]
SPC [16 kb]
PDF [23 kb]
H2O + C2H4(OH)2 (5:1) Water + Ethylene Glycol (5:1) at T = 18 K. H2O features are identified with asterisks ("*") in the graphs. ASCII [55 kb]
EPS [53 kb]
Aldehydes
H2O + H2CO (8:1) Water + Formaldehyde (8:1) at T = 15 K ASCII [55 kb]
SPC [16 kb]
PDF [24 kb]
H2O + CH3COH (20:1) Water + Acetaldehyde (20:1) at T = 16 K ASCII [57 kb]
SPC [16 kb]
PDF [24 kb]
Ketones
H2O + (CH3)2CO (20:1) Water + Acetone (20:1) at T = 16 K ASCII [58 kb]
SPC [16 kb]
PDF [23 kb]
H2O + (CH3)(C2H5)CO (approx. 40:1) Water + Methylethyl Ketone (MEK) (approx. 40:1) ASCII [57 kb]
SPC [16 kb]
PDF [23 kb]
Acids
H2O + HCOOH (9:1) Water + Formic Acid (9:1) at T = 17 K ASCII [58 kb]
SPC [16 kb]
PDF [24 kb]
H2O + CH3COOH (10:1) Water + Acetic Acid (10:1) at T = 16 K ASCII [58 kb]
SPC [16 kb]
PDF [22 kb]
Esters
H2O + HCOOCH3 (20:1) Water + Methylformate (20:1) at T = 16 K ASCII [73 kb]
SPC [20 kb]
PDF [24 kb]
Ethers
H2O + (CH3)2O (20:1) Water + Dimethylether (20:1) ASCII [75 kb]
SPC [20 kb]
PDF [33 kb]
H2O + c-C2H4O (approx. 20:1) Water + Ethylene Oxide (approx. 20:1) ASCII [75 kb]
SPC [20 kb]
PDF [25 kb]
Amines
H2O + NH3 Water + Ammonia Not yet available
H2O + CH3NH2 Water + Methylamine (unknown dilution) at T = 16 K ASCII [56 kb]
SPC [16 kb]
PDF [24 kb]
Assorted
H2O + N2O (10:1) Water + Nitrous Oxide (dinitrogen oxide) (10:1) at T = 18 K ASCII [57 kb]
SPC [16 kb]
PDF [21 kb]
H2O + HCN (3:1) Water + Hydrogen Cyanide (3:1) ASCII [71 kb]
SPC [20 kb]
PDF [25 kb]
H2O + H2O2 (3%) Water + Hydrogen Peroxide (3%) at T = 19 K ASCII [55 kb]
SPC [16 kb]
PDF [21 kb]
H2O + OCS (20:1) Water + Carbonyl Sulfide (20:1) at T = 16 K ASCII [59 kb]
SPC [16 kb]
PDF [23 kb]

Far-Infrared Spectra of H2O Ice
(read a detailed description here)
Ice History Description Available Formats
H2O deposited at 14 K and subsequently warmed deposit at 14 K ASCII [28 kb]
warm-up to 40 K ASCII [25 kb]
warm-up to 80 K ASCII [26 kb]
warm-up to 100 K ASCII [25 kb]
warm-up to 120 K ASCII [24 kb]
warm-up to 140 K ASCII [24 kb]
warm-up to 160 K ASCII [24 kb]
H2O deposited at 160 K and subsequently cooled deposit at 160 K ASCII [24 kb]
cooled to 140 K ASCII [24 kb]
cooled to 120 K ASCII [24 kb]
cooled to 100 K ASCII [24 kb]
cooled to 80 K ASCII [24 kb]
cooled to 40 K ASCII [26 kb]
cooled to 14 K ASCII [28 kb]
H2O deposited at various temperatures
deposit at 40 K ASCII [26 kb]
deposit at 80 K ASCII [24 kb]
deposit at 100 K ASCII [24 kb]
deposit at 120 K ASCII [24 kb]
deposit at 140 K ASCII [24 kb]

IR Spectra of NH3-Containing Ices
(read a pre-print here)
Figure Description Available Formats
Figure 1
NH3 compared to H2O+NH3 Ices

NH3 9 K
Amorphous Phase 		ASCII [162 kb]
SPC [40 kb]
NH3 ~90 K
Transition Phase 		ASCII [154 kb]
SPC [40 kb]
NH3 95 K
Cubic Phase 		ASCII [255 kb]
SPC [61 kb]
H2O + NH3 9 K ASCII [53 kb]
SPC [15 kb]
H2O + NH3 90 K ASCII [50 kb]
SPC [14 kb]
H2O + NH3
130 K		 ASCII [50 kb]
SPC [14 kb]
Figure 2
IR spectra of Ices made from H2O/NH3=0.5 gas-phase mixtures

Spectrum (a) ASCII [247 kb]
SPC [61 kb]
Spectrum (b) ASCII [247 kb]
SPC [61 kb]
Spectrum (c) ASCII [243 kb]
SPC [61 kb]
Spectrum (d) ASCII [246 kb]
SPC [61 kb]
Figure 3
This work compared to a hemihydrate reference spectrum

This Work ASCII [225 kb]
SPC [61 kb]
Reference Spectrum ASCII [25 kb]
SPC [7 kb]
Figure 4
This work compared to a monohydrate reference spectrum

This Work ASCII [286 kb]
SPC [70 kb]
Reference Spectrum ASCII [30 kb]
SPC [9 kb]
Figure 5
The thermal evolution of hemihydrate 2NH3 · H2O

Spectrum (a) ASCII [247 kb]
SPC [61 kb]
Spectrum (b) ASCII [249 kb]
SPC [61 kb]
Spectrum (c) ASCII [246 kb]
SPC [61 kb]
Spectrum (d) ASCII [280 kb]
SPC [70 kb]
Figure 6
A comparative look at near-IR spectra from 5400 to 4000 cm-1

Amorphous NH3 ASCII [55 kb]
SPC [24 kb]
Transition NH3 ASCII [55 kb]
SPC [24 kb]
Cubic NH3 ASCII [255 kb]
SPC [61 kb]
2NH3 · H2O ASCII [225 kb]
SPC [61 kb]
NH3 · H2O ASCII [286 kb]
SPC [70 kb]
H2O+NH3 ASCII [50 kb]
SPC [14 kb]
Pure H2O ASCII [55 kb]
SPC [24 kb]
Figure 7
A comparative look at near-IR spectra from 5600 to 4000 cm-1

H2O/NH3=0 ASCII [162 kb]
SPC [40 kb]
H2O/NH3=0.7 ASCII [55 kb]
SPC [16 kb]
H2O/NH3=1.6 ASCII [53 kb]
SPC [15 kb]
H2O/NH3=4.7 ASCII [50 kb]
SPC [14 kb]
H2O/NH3=14 ASCII [53 kb]
SPC [15 kb]
H2O/NH3=42 ASCII [53 kb]
SPC [14 kb]
H2O/NH3=57 ASCII [52 kb]
SPC [15 kb]
Figure 9
Changes in the near- and mid-IR spectrum of 2NH3 · H2O at 50 K as a function of radiation dose

Spectrum (a) ASCII [230 kb]
SPC [61 kb]
Spectrum (b) ASCII [229 kb]
SPC [61 kb]
Spectrum (c) ASCII [230 kb]
SPC [61 kb]
Spectrum (d) ASCII [230 kb]
SPC [61 kb]
Spectrum (e) ASCII [224 kb]
SPC [61 kb]
Spectrum (f) ASCII [224 kb]
SPC [61 kb]
Reference Spectrum ASCII [230 kb]
SPC [61 kb]
Figure 10
Changes in the IR spectrum of 2NH3 · H2O before and after an irradiation of 2.8 eV molecule-1

10 K Before ASCII [224 kb]
SPC [61 kb]
10 K After ASCII [224 kb]
SPC [61 kb]
50 K Before ASCII [230 kb]
SPC [61 kb]
50 K After ASCII [224 kb]
SPC [61 kb]
95 K Before ASCII [225 kb]
SPC [61 kb]
95 K After ASCII [224 kb]
SPC [61 kb]
Figure 13
IR spectra of an H2O + NH3 (7:1) ice at 10 K before and after irradiation to a dose of 7 eV molecule-1 at 10 K

Reference Spectrum ASCII [55 kb]
SPC [24 kb]
Before Irradiation ASCII [55 kb]
SPC [15 kb]
After Irradiation ASCII [53 kb]
SPC [15 kb]

Formats
Currently, we offer spectra in the following formats: ASCII (*.txt, space- or comma-delimited x,y columns), Portable Document Format (*.pdf, requires Adobe Acrobat Reader), and Galactic spc Format (*.spc, download free viewer). - We find that Galactic spc files do not always download properly using Netscape Navigator. If it works for you, please tell us how you did it!.

Perry A. Gerakines is acknowledged for extensive help with the creation of this database.

This page is maintained by Reggie Hudson.