Possible contribution of different energy sources to the production of organics in Titan's atmosphere.
A quantitative comparison of the products arising from the irradiation of a Titan's simulated atmosphere is presented. The energy sources used represent some of the main events that occur in the satellite's atmosphere. All of the compounds identified are classified in the hydrocarbon and nitrile chemical families. Almost all of the detected compounds in Titan's atmosphere are produced by one or more energy sources. The compounds with the highest energy yields include the C2 hydrocarbons, methanonitrile and ethanonitrile. The possibility of using some of the produced organics as tracer compounds during the Huygens descend to identify the leading energy form in the different atmospheric levels remains open.
Ramirez
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Laboratorio de Quimica de Plasmas y Estudios Planetarios, Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Circuito Exterior, C.U., Apartado Postal 70-543, Mexico D.F. 04510, Mexico.
Navarro-Gonzalez
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R
Coll
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P
Raulin
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F
D001272:Atmosphere / Q000737:chemistry*; D004560:Electricity; D018559:Exobiology; D005118:Extraterrestrial Environment; D005720:Gamma Rays; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D007834:Lasers; D008697:Methane / Q000737:chemistry; D009570:Nitriles / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D018539:Saturn; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013997:Time Factors; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
D006838:Hydrocarbons; D009570:Nitriles; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D009584:Nitrogen; D008697:Methane