Production and condensation of organic gases in the atmosphere of Titan |
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| Authors: | Carl Sagan W Reid Thompson |
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| Institution: | Laboratory for Planetary Studies, Space Sciences Building, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA |
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| Abstract: | The rates and altitudes for the dissociation of atmospheric constituents of Titan are calculated for solar UV, solar wind protons, interplanetary electrons, Saturn magnetospheric particles, and cosmic rays. The resulting integrated synthesis rates of organic products range from 102–103 g cm?2 over 4.5 × 109 years for high-energy particle sources to 1.3 × 104 g cm?2 for UV at , and to 5.0 × 105 g cm?2 if (acting primarily on C2H2, C2H4, and C4H2) is included. The production rate curves show no localized maxima corresponding to observed altitudes of Titan's hazes and clouds. For simple to moderately complex organic gases in the Titanian atmosphere, condensation occurs below the top of the main cloud deck at 2825 km. Such condensates comprise the principal cloud mass, with molecules of greater complexity condensing at higher altitudes. The scattering optical depths of the condensates of molecules produced in the Titanian mesosphere are as great as ～ 102/(particulate radius, μm) if column densities of condensed and gas phases are comparable. Visible condensation hazes of more complex organic compounds may occur at altitudes up to ～ 3060 km provided only that the abundance of organic products declines with molecular mass no faster than laboratory experiments indicate. Typical organics condensing at 2900 km have molecular masses = 100–150 Da. At current rates of production the integrated depth of precipitated organic liquids, ices, and tholins produced over 4.5 × 109 years ranges from a minimum ～ 100 m to kilometers if UV at is important. The organic nitrogen content of this layer is expected to be ～ 10?1?10?3 by mass. |
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| Keywords: | To whom correspondence should be addressed |
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