Skip to main content
OSTI.GOVU.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information
 

COSMIC-RAY-MEDIATED FORMATION OF BENZENE ON THE SURFACE OF SATURN'S MOON TITAN

Journal Article · · Astrophysical Journal
; ;  [1]; ;  [2];  [3];  [4]
  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI (United States)
  2. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, Miami, FL (United States)
  3. Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan (China)
  4. Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, Caltech, Pasadena, CA (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations
The aromatic benzene molecule (C{sub 6}H{sub 6})-a central building block of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon molecules-is of crucial importance for the understanding of the organic chemistry of Saturn's largest moon, Titan. Here, we show via laboratory experiments and electronic structure calculations that the benzene molecule can be formed on Titan's surface in situ via non-equilibrium chemistry by cosmic-ray processing of low-temperature acetylene (C{sub 2}H{sub 2}) ices. The actual yield of benzene depends strongly on the surface coverage. We suggest that the cosmic-ray-mediated chemistry on Titan's surface could be the dominant source of benzene, i.e., a factor of at least two orders of magnitude higher compared to previously modeled precipitation rates, in those regions of the surface which have a high surface coverage of acetylene.
OSTI ID:
21455057
Journal Information:
Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 718; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Peritectic phase transition of benzene and acetonitrile into a cocrystal relevant to Titan, Saturn's moon
Journal Article · Thu Sep 17 20:00:00 EDT 2020 · ChemComm · OSTI ID:1774340
LABORATORY STUDIES ON THE IRRADIATION OF SOLID ETHANE ANALOG ICES AND IMPLICATIONS TO TITAN'S CHEMISTRY
Journal Article · Tue Mar 09 23:00:00 EST 2010 · Astrophysical Journal · OSTI ID:21394334
PHOTODISSOCIATION OF THE DIACETYLENE DIMER AND IMPLICATIONS FOR HYDROCARBON GROWTH IN TITAN'S ATMOSPHERE
Journal Article · Mon May 10 00:00:00 EDT 2010 · Astrophysical Journal · OSTI ID:21448828

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
ACETYLENE
ALKYNES
AROMATICS
BENZENE
COMETS
COSMIC RADIATION
ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE
HYDROCARBONS
ICE
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MOON
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PLANETS
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
RADIATIONS
SATELLITES
SATURN PLANET