Titan: Nature¡¦s Laboratory for Organic Synthesis

Details Titan: Nature¡¦s Laboratory for Organic Synthesis Titan: Nature¡¦s Laboratory for Organic Synthesis

Dec 2004

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2004agufm.p42a..02y&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2004, abstract #P42A-02

Physics

0300 Atmospheric Composition And Structure, 0305 Aerosols And Particles (0345, 4801), 0317 Chemical Kinetic And Photochemical Properties, 0343 Planetary Atmospheres (5405, 5407, 5409, 5704, 5705, 5707)

Scientific paper

It has been nearly a third of a century since Strobel¡¦s (1973) pioneering study of hydrocarbon chemistry and Axel¡¦s (1972) seminal work on the hydrocarbon aerosols. Methane, the parent molecule of hydrocarbons, is abundant on Titan. Photolysis of methane results in the synthesis of more complex hydrocarbons. The hydrocarbon chemistry is unique and rich and the same reactions apply to all reducing atmospheres. The hydrocarbon chemistry inevitably leads to the formation of high molecular weight products, giving rise to aerosols when the ambient atmosphere is cool enough for them to condense. We will review the progress in the hydrocarbon chemistry since the Voyager encounters (Yung et al., 1984). A number of pathways to organic synthesis from simple to complex hydrocarbons have been identified. Neutral schemes involve radicals such as C3H3 and C3H5. Ion schemes involve charged radicals such as c-C3H2+ and C4H3+. Both ringed and chained compounds can be synthesized. The organic chemistry is a very sensitive function of the H and H2 concentrations in the atmosphere. In fact, we can ``retrieve¡" the concentration of H atoms in the atmosphere from the recent ground-based observation of the allene to methylacetylene ratio. Preliminary results from Cassini will also be discussed.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Titan: Nature¡¦s Laboratory for Organic Synthesis does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Titan: Nature¡¦s Laboratory for Organic Synthesis, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Titan: Nature¡¦s Laboratory for Organic Synthesis will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1453695