Mechanisms for the formation of benzene in the atmosphere of Titan

Details Mechanisms for the formation of benzene in the atmosphere of Titan Mechanisms for the formation of benzene in the atmosphere of Titan

Feb 2003

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2003jgre..108.5014w&link_type=abstract

Journal of Geophysical Research (Planets), Volume 108, Issue E2, pp. 8-1, CiteID 5014, DOI 10.1029/2002JE001896

Physics

28

Ionosphere: Ion Chemistry And Composition (0335), Planetology: Solar System Objects: Saturnian Satellites, Planetary Sciences: Atmospheres-Composition And Chemistry, Atmospheric Composition And Structure: Planetary Atmospheres (5405, 5407, 5409, 5704, 5705, 5707), Atmospheric Composition And Structure: Constituent Sources And Sinks

Scientific paper

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are important interstellar species, and their precursor benzene (C6H6) has been detected in our solar system. In this study the possibility of benzene formation in the atmosphere of Titan is investigated. Benzene abundance in Titan's atmosphere is found to be rather highly dependent on the assumed mechanism for benzene production. Assuming reactions involved in this mechanism to proceed at the rate corresponding to 300 K, a value of 5.4 × 10-7 at 2 × 10-5 mbar is found for the mole fraction of benzene. The primary mechanism responsible for this benzene abundance involves the recombination of propargyl (C3H3) radicals. A source of benzene molecules through ion chemistry in the upper atmosphere is also investigated. The inclusion of heavy cyclic ions results in little change in the C6H6 abundance at the peak in mole fraction, where [C6H6] = 3.6 × 105 cm-3, but does produce about a factor of 2 increase in the benzene mole fraction at the 10-6 mbar level [C6H6] = 1 × 104 cm-3. This produces a negligible change in C6H6 column abundance below this microbar level. In the stratosphere, Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) measurements of the benzene abundance have been fit by our nominal profile multiplied by a factor of 3.0 +/- 0.5. Taking the lower value of this factor, the ISO fit corresponds to an altitude-dependent benzene profile with a value of 9.8 × 10-11 at 1 mbar. Benzene profiles determined in this study suggest an important path for the formation of higher-order hydrocarbons, which may play a significant role in the formation of hazes in Titan's atmosphere.

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