AN ESTIMATE OF THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF TITAN's LAKES

Journal Article · Sat Dec 19 23:00:00 EST 2009 · Astrophysical Journal (Online)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/707/2/L128· OSTI ID:21392564

Cordier, Daniel ^[1]; Mousis, Olivier; Lunine, Jonathan I; Lavvas, Panayotis ^[2]; Vuitton, Veronique ^[3]

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1. Ecole Nationale Superieure de Chimie de Rennes, CNRS, UMR 6226, Avenue du General Leclerc, CS 50837, 35708 Rennes Cedex 7 (France)
2. Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (United States)
3. Universite Joseph Fourier, Laboratoire de Planetologie de Grenoble, CNRS/INSU (France)

Hundreds of radar-dark patches interpreted as lakes have been discovered in the north and south polar regions of Titan. We have estimated the composition of these lakes by using the direct abundance measurements from the Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer aboard the Huygens probe and recent photochemical models based on the vertical temperature profile derived by the Huygens Atmospheric Structure Instrument. Thermodynamic equilibrium is assumed between the atmosphere and the lakes, which are also considered nonideal solutions. We find that the main constituents of the lakes are ethane (C{sub 2}H{sub 6}) (approx76%-79%), propane (C{sub 3}H{sub 8}) (approx7%-8%), methane (CH{sub 4}) (approx5%-10%), hydrogen cyanide (HCN) (approx2%-3%), butene (C{sub 4}H{sub 8}) (approx1%), butane (C{sub 4}H{sub 10}) (approx1%), and acetylene (C{sub 2}H{sub 2}) (approx1%). The calculated composition of lakes is then substantially different from what has been expected from models elaborated prior to the exploration of Titan by the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft.

• OSTI ID: 21392564
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal (Online), Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal (Online) Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 707; ISSN 1538-4357
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

2-METHYLPROPANE
2-METHYLPROPENE
79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
ABUNDANCE
ACETYLENE
ALKANES
ALKENES
ALKYNES
ATMOSPHERES
BUTANE
BUTENES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMISTRY
CRYOSPHERE
ETHANE
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROCYANIC ACID
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
INORGANIC COMPOUNDS
MASS SPECTROMETERS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
METHANE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHOTOCHEMISTRY
PLANETARY ATMOSPHERES
PLANETS
POLAR REGIONS
PROPANE
SATELLITES
SATURN PLANET
SOLAR SYSTEM
SPECTROMETERS