{
  "abstract": "The atomic structure at the surface of interstellar silicate dust particles likely plays a key role in a variety of chemical processes occurring in star- and planet-forming regions of the interstellar medium (ISM). Here, we use the photoelectric effect to characterize, in situ, the local chemical structure of Mg-silicate nanoparticulate films, and ex situ electron microscopy to trace changes to morphology resulting from different starting compositions. Nanoparticulate films are prepared via co-deposition of Si, Mg and O atoms on a graphitic substrate under ultra-high vacuum (UHV) and are characterised with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and near edge X-ray absorption fine structure measurements. Analysis, supported by density functional theory calculations, shows that adjusting the Mg-to-Si ratio from 3.5 to 1.8 changes particle composition from a mixture of MgO and Mg-silicate towards predominantly Mg-silicate. Annealing in UHV also pushes the composition towards Mg-silicate, however, non-stoichiometric chemical motifs are always observed, presenting a distribution of potentially catalytically active sites. Electron microscopy images show composition-dependent film morphologies that restructure differently upon thermal annealing. The Mg-silicate nanoparticulate films presented here are characterised as a 2D version of ISM analogue dust particles prepared via laser ablation and are therefore a more readily suitable model for surface science investigations into the catalytic properties of interstellar Mg-silicate dust.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": "2609.35925",
  "author_total": 12,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Steffen Friis Holleufer"
    },
    {
      "name": "Mie Andersen"
    },
    {
      "name": "Frederik Granzow Doktor"
    },
    {
      "name": "Lars Eric Borchert"
    },
    {
      "name": "Martin Wibrand Larsen"
    },
    {
      "name": "Duncan S. Sutherland"
    },
    {
      "name": "Zheshen Li"
    },
    {
      "name": "Alexei Preobrajenski"
    },
    {
      "name": "Jeppe Vang Lauritsen"
    },
    {
      "name": "Cornelia Jäger"
    },
    {
      "name": "Liv Hornekær"
    },
    {
      "name": "Andrew Cassidy"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9tkydbj97y3ks.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2609.35925",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "9tkydbj97y3ks",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.35925",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "astro-ph.GA"
    ],
    [
      "arxiv",
      "cond-mat.mtrl-sci"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "3103|Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7214984780",
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2609.35925",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-28",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9tkydbj97y3ks.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:25:31Z",
      "native_id": "2609.35925",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.35925"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "astronomy",
      "origin": "arxiv:astro-ph.GA",
      "subfield": "galaxies"
    },
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "arxiv:cond-mat.mtrl-sci",
      "subfield": "condensed-matter"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Photoelectron and electron microscopy investigation of laboratory grown Mg-silicate space dust analogues",
  "title_text": "Photoelectron and electron microscopy investigation of laboratory grown Mg-silicate space dust analogues",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:25:31Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9tkydbj97y3ks",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": []
}