Other
Scientific paper
Dec 2005
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2005natur.438..779n&link_type=abstract
Nature, Volume 438, Issue 7069, pp. 779-784 (2005).
Other
319
Scientific paper
Saturn's largest moon, Titan, remains an enigma, explored only by remote sensing from Earth, and by the Voyager and Cassini spacecraft. The most puzzling aspects include the origin of the molecular nitrogen and methane in its atmosphere, and the mechanism(s) by which methane is maintained in the face of rapid destruction by photolysis. The Huygens probe, launched from the Cassini spacecraft, has made the first direct observations of the satellite's surface and lower atmosphere. Here we report direct atmospheric measurements from the Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer (GCMS), including altitude profiles of the constituents, isotopic ratios and trace species (including organic compounds). The primary constituents were confirmed to be nitrogen and methane. Noble gases other than argon were not detected. The argon includes primordial 36Ar, and the radiogenic isotope 40Ar, providing an important constraint on the outgassing history of Titan. Trace organic species, including cyanogen and ethane, were found in surface measurements.
Atreya Sushil K.
Bauer Siegfried J.
Carignan George R.
Demick J. E.
Frost Ray L.
No associations
LandOfFree
The abundances of constituents of Titan's atmosphere from the GCMS instrument on the Huygens probe 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 The abundances of constituents of Titan's atmosphere from the GCMS instrument on the Huygens probe, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The abundances of constituents of Titan's atmosphere from the GCMS instrument on the Huygens probe will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1466099