Interaction of methanol (CD3OD) with Zr(0 0 0 1) is studied by temperature programmed desorption (TPD), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and secondary electron emission crystal current (SEECC) methods. We find that a 10 K difference in adsorption temperature (150 K versus 160 K) alters the amount of desorbing species with no effect on desorption temperature. Higher adsorption temperature results in lower desorption yield. Regardless of adsorption temperature, methanol desorbs at similar to600 K at higher exposures, with almost no desorption at lower exposures. AES reveals a different evolution of carbon and oxygen signals during heating with carbon being left near the surface region and oxygen dissolving into the subsurface/bulk. Variations in crystal current reflect the presence of the adsorbed species. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.