In molecular clouds at temperatures as low as 10 K, all species except
hydrogen and helium should be locked in the heterogeneous ice on dust grain
surfaces. Nevertheless, astronomical observations have detected over 150
different species in the gas phase in these clouds. The mechanism by which
molecules are released from the dust surface below thermal desorption
temperatures to be detectable in the gas phase is crucial for understanding the
chemical evolution in such cold clouds. Chemical desorption, caused by the
excess energy of an exothermic reaction, was first proposed as a key molecular
release mechanism almost 50 years ago. Chemical desorption can, in principle,
take place at any temperature, even below the thermal desorption temperature.
Therefore, astrochemical net- work models commonly include this process.
Although there have been a few previous experimental efforts, no infrared
measurement of the surface (which has a strong advantage to quantify chemical
desorption) has been performed. Here, we report the first infrared in situ
measurement of chemical desorption during the reactions H + H2S -> HS + H2
(reaction 1) and HS + H -> H2S (reaction 2), which are key to interstellar
sulphur chemistry. The present study clearly demonstrates that chemical
desorption is a more efficient process for releasing H2S into the gas phase
than was previously believed. The obtained effective cross-section for chemical
desorption indicates that the chemical desorption rate exceeds the
photodesorption rate in typical interstellar environments
