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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Jan 30 2011, 04:07 AM
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Senior Member Group: Moderator Posts: 2785 Joined: 10-November 06 From: Pasadena, CA Member No.: 1345 |
LPSC 2011 abstract describes continuing efforts to identify heavier molecules from the Huygens GCMS using the flight spare at GSFC.
Trainer et al. LPSC 2011, Abstract 1399. "Laboratory Simulations of the Titan Surface to Elucidate the Huygens Probe GCMS Observations." Why is this cool? Identifying heavier ions, and their relative amounts, can help constrain the atmospheric models and give a clue what's really down there on the surface. A recent paper many of the same authors (Niemann et al. JGR (2010) E12006), showed that C2H6, C2H2, C2N2, and CO2 were detected at the surface after Huygens landed and volatilized materials in the muds. (Benzene (C6H6) was detected but couldn't be ruled out as atmospheric origin, maybe with more simulation analysis it can be confirmed?) But even with mole fractions of these four components, if you normalize this and the atmospheric models to ethane, it can be seen that the Krasnopolsky model fits best for C2H2 and C2N2 (consistently 3x too low). The Cordier/Lavvas and Wilson and Atreya model have the predicted flux rate of C2N2 too low. See chart below: (also attached as a spreadsheet):
Attached File(s)
-------------------- Some higher resolution images available at my photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31678681@N07/
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