Quantitative Measurements of the Contribution of Titan Tholin to the Mixing Ratio of Methane in Titan's Atmosphere

Details Quantitative Measurements of the Contribution of Titan Tholin to the Mixing Ratio of Methane in Titan's Atmosphere Quantitative Measurements of the Contribution of Titan Tholin to the Mixing Ratio of Methane in Titan's Atmosphere

Sep 2009

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009dps....41.3003k&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #41, #30.03

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Photochemical processes would have removed all methane in a short geological timeframe (Yung et al. 1984), and it is known that Titan's atmosphere contains an abundance of methane. In order to maintain the mixing ratio of CH4 in Titan's atmosphere, it was earlier thought that seas of acetylene and ethane were necessary to replenish it (Lunine et al. 1983). However, since the Cassini-Huygens mission, it is known that this is not the case. Some possible explanations for the abundance of methane include cryovolcanism as a source of new methane (Tobie et al. 2006) and methanogenic bacteria recycling methane (McKay and Smith 2005). Our research has shown that the organic solids in Titan's atmosphere known as Tholins absorb CH4, C2H6, NH3, etc., and that it desorbs these gases when left in vacuum. It is possible that because of the desorption of methane, the mixing ratio in the atmosphere is at least partially maintained by this method of recycling.
Previously, we have reported the contribution of Titan Tholin to the mixing ratio of CH4 in Titan (Khare et al. 2008). Our on going efforts are to determine the quantitative mixing ratio of CH4 in Titan's atmosphere. To accomplish this, we have designed an experiment that will synthesize the Titan Tholin and let it degas. We will calibrate absorbance vs. pressure and then compare it to the absorbance from the degassing Tholin over time in order to quantify the amount of methane the Tholin produces. We will report the progress of this work at the 2009 DPS meeting.

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