Thermal evolution of Titan's atmosphere

Journal Article · Tue Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Icarus; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0019-1035(89)90147-4· OSTI ID:5348273

Lunine, J I; Rizk, B ^[1]

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1. Arizona Univ., Tucson (USA)

The present model of Titan's atmosphere/surface evolution assumes the presence of a kilometer-deep ethane-methane ocean at the surface that serves as a tropospheric thermal balance-determining atmospheric-gas reservoir. The evolution of the atmospheric thermal structure is driven by gas-abundance changes occurring as stratospheric photolysis irreversibly converts methane into higher hydrocarbons, whereby the ocean becomes ethane-enriched and methane-depleted. A family of evolution models is presented whose various members correspond to different present-day ocean compositions, various atmospheric hydrogen abundances, and different schemes for frequency-averaging the gas opacity. A slow evolution over several billion years is envisioned. 25 refs.

• OSTI ID: 5348273
• Journal Information: Icarus; (USA), Journal Name: Icarus; (USA) Vol. 80; ISSN ICRSA; ISSN 0019-1035
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640107* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Planetary Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ABUNDANCE
ALKANES
ATMOSPHERES
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
DECOMPOSITION
ETHANE
HYDROCARBONS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
METHANE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
PHOTOLYSIS
PLANETARY EVOLUTION
PLANETS
SATELLITE ATMOSPHERES
SATELLITES
SATURN PLANET
SEAS
SOLAR SYSTEM EVOLUTION
SURFACE WATERS