title: Low-Temperature Alkaline pH Hydrolysis of Oxygen-Free Titan Tholins: Carbonates' Impact.
abstract: Titan, the largest moon of Saturn, is one of the key planetary objects in the field of exobiology. Its dense, nitrogen-rich atmosphere is the site of important organic chemistry. This paper focuses on the organic aerosols produced in Titan's atmosphere that play an important role in atmospheric and surface processes and in organic chemistry as it applies to exobiological interests. To produce reliable laboratory analogues of these aerosols, we developed, tested, and optimized a device for the synthesis of clean tholins. The potential chemical evolution of Titan aerosols at Titan's surface has been studied, in particular, the possible interaction between aerosols and putative ammonia-water cryomagma. Modeling of the formation of Saturn's atmosphere has permitted the characterization of a composition of salts in the subsurface ocean and cryolava. From this new and original chemical composition, a laboratory study of several hydrolyses of tholins was carried out. The results obtained show the formation of many organic compounds, among them, species identified only in the presence of salts. In addition, a list of potential precursors of these compounds was established, which could provide a database for research of the chemical composition of tholins and/or aerosols of Titan. Key Words: Titan tholins-Titan aerosols-Hydrolysis-Carbonates-Titan's surface. Astrobiology 17, 8-26.
authors.affiliation: 1 Laboratoire Interuniversitaire des Systèmes Atmosphériques (LISA), UMR CNRS 7583, Université Paris Est Créteil et Université Paris Diderot , Institut Pierre Simon Laplace, C.M.C., Créteil, France .
authors.forename: Coralie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brassé
authors.affiliation: 2 Laboratoire de Génie des Procédés et Matériaux (LGPM) , Ecole Centrale Paris, Chatenay-Malabry, France .
authors.forename: Arnaud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Buch
authors.affiliation: 1 Laboratoire Interuniversitaire des Systèmes Atmosphériques (LISA), UMR CNRS 7583, Université Paris Est Créteil et Université Paris Diderot , Institut Pierre Simon Laplace, C.M.C., Créteil, France .
authors.forename: Patrice
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Coll
authors.affiliation: 1 Laboratoire Interuniversitaire des Systèmes Atmosphériques (LISA), UMR CNRS 7583, Université Paris Est Créteil et Université Paris Diderot , Institut Pierre Simon Laplace, C.M.C., Créteil, France .
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Raulin
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols / Q000737:chemistry*; D000468:Alkalies / Q000737:chemistry*; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D002254:Carbonates / Q000737:chemistry*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D006868:Hydrolysis; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry*; D018539:Saturn
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D000468:Alkalies; D000596:Amino Acids; D002254:Carbonates; D010100:Oxygen