Atmospheric Chemistry of Titan |
Atmospheric Chemistry of Titan |
May 2 2010, 03:38 AM
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Senior Member Group: Moderator Posts: 2785 Joined: 10-November 06 From: Pasadena, CA Member No.: 1345 |
Here is a "Benzene-O-Vision" graphic showing the amount of benzene and phenyl radicals at high altitudes on Titan. This is based on detections of benzene and phenyl radical (which recombined in the sample chamber to make benzene) using the INMS instrument during closest approach. The numbers are normalized to constant pressure altitude, roughly 1000 km.
The data was taken from Table 1 in: Vuitton et al, Journal of Geophysical Research 113 (2008) E05007. "Formation and distribution of benzene on Titan". doi: 10.1029/2007JE002997 [EDIT 5/24/10: Article freely available here] and overlaid on a map of Titan. The authors mentioned that the errors in these measurements are 20%. These detections are well above the detached haze layer. Most are at the same sun azimuth angle. (T23 observation had the lowest angle.) Assuming that the temporal difference is minimal (each dot is from a different flyby), there doesn't appear to be an obvious correlation with latitude. This graphic does show that benzene is present even waaaay up in the thermosphere and ionosphere. -------------------- Some higher resolution images available at my photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31678681@N07/
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Oct 8 2010, 05:21 PM
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Senior Member Group: Moderator Posts: 2785 Joined: 10-November 06 From: Pasadena, CA Member No.: 1345 |
Most of the formation chemistry seems to be happening at very high altitudes, likely above any cloud-based lightning. (sprites?)
I think the laboratory experiments are trying to get molecular nitrogen to ionize, so either Extreme UltraViolet radiation (got beam source?) or plasma discharge are the best ways to do it. My simplistic mind views a plasma discharge experiment as a scaled up version of a mass spectrometer antechamber. I'd suppose the major ionizing sources in Titan's upper atmosphere would be sunlight (very shortwave radiation). Not sure of the role that cosmic rays, energized particles (solar and trapped in Saturn orbit) or other electronic discharges would play. -------------------- Some higher resolution images available at my photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31678681@N07/
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