Time-history of the Isotopic Ratios in Titan's Atmosphere Provide Important Constraints on the History of Titan

Details Time-history of the Isotopic Ratios in Titan's Atmosphere Provide Important Constraints on the History of Titan Time-history of the Isotopic Ratios in Titan's Atmosphere Provide Important Constraints on the History of Titan

Sep 2008

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008dps....40.3108m&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #40, #31.08; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 40, p.447

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Isotopic fractionation of 14N/15N in N2, 12C/13C in CH4, D/H in CH4, and D/H in H2 result from diffusion, escape and chemical processes in Titan's atmosphere. Diffusion and escape result in a slow preferential loss of the lighter isotopes. Chemistry also results in loss of the lighter isotopes in CH4, but has the opposite effect for N2. Altitude profiles of INMS data from 16 passes of the Cassini spacecraft through the atmosphere of Titan to a depth below 1000 km in altitude were analyzed and compared with predictions of a Titan Global Ionosphere-Thermosphere Model (GTIM) (Bell 2008) to determine the diffusive fractionation of isotopes in the upper atmosphere of Titan. If hydrodynamic escape is occurring, these altitude profiles will also show the fractionation caused by differences in escape fluxes. Two independent methods (Donahue et al 1997, Lunine et al 1999) were used to track the isotopic ratios as a function of geologic time. This work has implications for the original reservoir sizes and isotopic ratios of N2 and CH4 as well as the history of methane production and atmospheric escape from Titan (de la Haye et al 2007, Strobel 2007, Cui et al 2008, Yelle et al 2008).

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