Sulfur isotopic fractionation in vacuum UV photodissociation of hydrogen sulfide and its potential relevance to meteorite analysis.

ABSTRACT: Select meteoritic classes possess mass-independent sulfur isotopic compositions in sulfide and organic phases. Photochemistry in the solar nebula has been attributed as a source of these anomalies. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is the most abundant gas-phase species in the solar nebula, and hence, photodissociation of H2S by solar vacuum UV (VUV) photons (especially by Lyman-α radiation) is a relevant process. Because of experimental difficulties associated with accessing VUV radiation, there is a paucity of data and a lack of theoretical basis to test the hypothesis of a photochemical origin of mass-independent sulfur. Here, we present multiisotopic measurements of elemental sulfur produced during the VUV photolysis of H2S. Mass-independent sulfur isotopic compositions are observed. The observed

SUBMITTER: Chakraborty S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3816456 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature