Unexpected new mechanism reveals how molecules become trapped in ice

Discovery of "stable energetic embedding" of atoms and molecules within ice has wide-ranging environmental, scientific and defense implications. Ice is ubiquitous in nature—found within terrestrial and astrophysical environments alike—and contains many atoms and molecules trapped inside. For example, ice beneath the world's oceans hosts a vast reservoir of greenhouse gases, which if released would have a profound effect on climate change. On the earth's surface, seasonal ice and permafrost-covered regions represent a vast reservoir for the collection, concentration and release of environmental and trace gases—encompassing national security concerns about the persistence and fate of intentionally released dangerous chemical species. This makes expanding our knowledge of the way molecules interact with ice surfaces a key goal not only for climate change but also a much wider range of other environmental, scientific and defense-related issues. Now, a team of University of Chicago and Loyola University researchers has discovered a new mechanism they call "stable energetic embedding" of atoms and molecules within ice. The work is described in The Journal of Chemical Physics , from AIP Publishing.