Computer Science – Sound
Scientific paper
Apr 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010ttt..work...34h&link_type=abstract
Through Time; A Workshop On Titan's Past, Present and Future, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, April 6th - 8th, 2010. Edited b
Computer Science
Sound
Scientific paper
We use a chemical equilibrium approach to model the composition of a subsurface ocean on Titan. The chemical equilibrium model includes an exponential exp-6 equation of state for fluids and a Murnaghan form for solids, the parameters for which are fitted to experimental shock Hugoniot data, isotropic compression and sound speed data from pressures of a few hundred kPa to that of a few hundred GPa. We also allow for solid phases of CO, CO2, NH3, N2 and CH4. In addition, the models allows for a variety of mixtures. We follow the equilibrium condensation of these elements from high to low temperature. For the pressures associated with Titan's interior (~1 GPa) we find that a pure ammonia-water ocean maybe stable. However we find that carbon present in the ocean destabilizes the ammonia to form N2. For an ocean with a C/N ratio equal to solar composition virtually all the nitrogen is in the form of N2. We suggest that the exsolution of N2 could power gas-driven cryovolcanism on Titan and possibly Triton. This would be consistent with the evidence for an ocean and for cryovolcanism, and with the absence of ammonia. Our results also provide an alternative explanation for the source of atmospheric N2. We also study the effects of tholins being introduced into the surface layers of Titan. Organic material (tholin) under pressure in the interior of Titan forms graphite, CH4 and N2 or if graphite is kinetically suppressed it forms benzene and N2. This could be an explanation for the benzene detected in the surface materials at the Huygens Probe landing site. This work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.
Bastea Sorin
Howard Michael W.
Khare Bishun N.
McKay Chris P.
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