Other
Scientific paper
Dec 2006
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006agufm.p11a..03c&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2006, abstract #P11A-03
Other
1
5410 Composition (1060, 3672), 5422 Ices, 5464 Remote Sensing, 5470 Surface Materials And Properties
Scientific paper
We report the first identification of compounds on Titan's surface using remote sensing methods through Titan's atmosphere, and show that these materials are preferentially associated with Titan's lower albedo terrains. Specifically, we identify benzene (C6H6), an aromatic hydrocarbon, using an absorption feature at 5.05 microns observed in data from the Cassini Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS). The benzene maps in channels, "lakes," and boundaries between bright and dark regions. Acetylene (C2H2), which is expected on Titan in higher abundances than benzene, has not been detected in surface deposits by VIMS. Benzene abundance appears higher than predicted by current models of formation via photolysis products. This observation, and the high benzene abundance measured by the Cassini INMS instrument, indicates either more chemical processing on Titan than previously believed or that somehow acetylene is hidden from detection. One explanation for the apparently high benzene/acetylene ratio may be that the surface organics have been chemically processed more than previously considered and subsequently concentrated by erosional processes on Titan's surface. We also report the detection of two additional absorptions in spectra of Titan's surface. A feature at 4.97 microns appears to match simple alkanes, or aliphatic hydrocarbons, particularly solid or liquid methane and ethane, with possible contributions from higher-order alkanes. The third and weakest absorption at 5.01 microns is currently not identified, although solid acetonitrile (CH3CN) has a spectral band that is close to matching Titan's, suggesting that other nitriles might be candidates.
Baines Kevin Hays
Barnes Joshua
Brown Harvey R.
Buratti Bonnie Jean
Clark Roger Nelson
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