Heavy ion formation in Titan's ionosphere: Magnetospheric introduction of free oxygen and a source of Titan's aerosols?

Sittler, E. C.; Ali, A. W.; Cooper, J. F.; Hartle, R. E.; Johnson, R. E.; Coates, A. J.; Young, D. T.

doi:10.1016/j.pss.2009.07.017

Cited by 65 publications

(59 citation statements)

References 123 publications

(152 reference statements)

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“…The penetration of GCRs into Titanʼs atmosphere also can lead to the incorporation of oxygen into hydrocarbons and possibly produce prebiotic chemicals (Sittler et al 2009). Pluto is also processed with both the solar wind (Cravens & Strobel 2015) and Lyα photons (Gladstone et al 2015), and an expected radiation dose for transNeptunian objects (TNOs) was calculated to be about 22 eV for each ethane molecule (Hudson et al 2009).…”

Section: Astrophysical Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

COMPLEX HYDROCARBON CHEMISTRY IN INTERSTELLAR AND SOLAR SYSTEM ICES REVEALED: A COMBINED INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY AND REFLECTRON TIME-OF-FLIGHT MASS SPECTROMETRY ANALYSIS OF ETHANE (C₂H₆) AND D6-ETHANE (C₂D₆) ICES EXPOSED TO IONIZING RADIATION

Abplanalp

Kaiser

2016

ApJ

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The irradiation of pure ethane (C 2 H 6 /C 2 D 6 ) ices at 5.5 K, under ultrahigh vacuum conditions was conducted to investigate the formation of complex hydrocarbons via interaction with energetic electrons simulating the secondary electrons produced in the track of galactic cosmic rays. The chemical modifications of the ices were monitored in situ using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and during temperature-programmed desorption via mass spectrometry exploiting a quadrupole mass spectrometer with electron impact ionization (EI-QMS) as well as a reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer coupled to a photoionization source (PI-ReTOF-MS). FTIR confirmed previous ethane studies by detecting six molecules: methane (CH 4 ), acetylene (C 2 H 2 ), ethylene (C 2 H 4 ), the ethyl radical (C 2 H 5 ), 1-butene (C 4 H 8 ), and n-butane (C 4 H 10 ). However, the TPD phase, along with EI-QMS, and most importantly, PI-ReTOF-MS, revealed the formation of at least 23 hydrocarbons, many for the first time in ethane ice, which can be arranged in four groups with an increasing carbon-to-hydrogen ratio: C n H 2n+2 (n = 3, 4, 6, 8, 10), C n H 2n (n = 3-10),2 2 (n = 3-10), andn n 2 4 (n = 4-6). The processing of simple ethane ices is relevant to the hydrocarbon chemistry in the interstellar medium, as ethane has been shown to be a major product of methane, as well as in the outer solar system. These data reveal that the processing of ethane ices can synthesize several key hydrocarbons such as C 3 H 4 and C 4 H 6 isomers, which have been found to synthesize polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons like indene (C 9 H 8 ) and naphthalene (C 10 H 8 ) in the ISM and in hydrocarbon-rich atmospheres of planets and their moons such as Titan.

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Section: Astrophysical Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

COMPLEX HYDROCARBON CHEMISTRY IN INTERSTELLAR AND SOLAR SYSTEM ICES REVEALED: A COMBINED INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY AND REFLECTRON TIME-OF-FLIGHT MASS SPECTROMETRY ANALYSIS OF ETHANE (C₂H₆) AND D6-ETHANE (C₂D₆) ICES EXPOSED TO IONIZING RADIATION

Abplanalp

Kaiser

2016

ApJ

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“…Enceladus, supplemented by the rings and the associated neutrals, populates the outer magnetosphere as well (Smith et al, 2009, Thomsen et al, 2010. Some of the remarkably complex chemistry at Titan appears to involve particles, oxygen in particular, originally from Enceladus (Coates et al, 2007b, Sittler et al, 2009. The electron populations in the inner magnetosphere, as well as the water-rich composition, show remarkable structure and dynamics (e.g., Figure 30, from Young et al, 2005).…”

Section: Interchange Signatures For Ions and Electronsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Saturn Plasma Sources and Associated Transport Processes

Blanc

Andrews

Coates

et al. 2016

Plasma Sources of Solar System Magnetospheres

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“…Water and oxygen ions coming from a magnetospheric source linked to Enceladus plumes are also involved in this atmospheric chemistry (e.g. Sittler et al, 2009). Could these water-oxygen compounds then be locked up into aerosols?…”

Section: Titan Complex Prebiotic-like Chemistrymentioning

confidence: 99%

Science goals and mission concept for the future exploration of Titan and Enceladus

Tobie¹,

Teanby²,

Coustenis³

et al. 2014

Planetary and Space Science

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Saturn's moons, Titan and Enceladus, are two of the Solar System's most enigmatic bodies and are prime targets for future space exploration. Titan provides an analogue for many processes relevant to the Earth, more generally to outer Solar System bodies, and a growing host of newly discovered icy exoplanets. Processes represented include: atmospheric dynamics, complex organic chemistry, meteorological cycles (with methane as a working fluid), astrobiology, surface liquids and lakes, geology, fluvial and aeolian erosion, and interactions with an external plasma environment. In addition, exploring Enceladus over multiple targeted flybys will give us a unique opportunity to further study the most active icy moon in our Solar System as revealed by Cassini and to analyse in situ its active plume with highly capable instrumentation addressing its complex chemistry and dynamics. Enceladus' plume likely represents the most accessible samples from an extra-terrestrial liquid water environment in the Solar system, which has far reaching implications for many areas of planetary and biological science. Titan with its massive atmosphere and Enceladus with its active plume are prime planetary objects in the Outer Solar System to perform in situ investigations. In the present paper, we describe the science goals and key measurements to be

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Heavy ion formation in Titan's ionosphere: Magnetospheric introduction of free oxygen and a source of Titan's aerosols?

Cited by 65 publications

References 123 publications

COMPLEX HYDROCARBON CHEMISTRY IN INTERSTELLAR AND SOLAR SYSTEM ICES REVEALED: A COMBINED INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY AND REFLECTRON TIME-OF-FLIGHT MASS SPECTROMETRY ANALYSIS OF ETHANE (C₂H₆) AND D6-ETHANE (C₂D₆) ICES EXPOSED TO IONIZING RADIATION

COMPLEX HYDROCARBON CHEMISTRY IN INTERSTELLAR AND SOLAR SYSTEM ICES REVEALED: A COMBINED INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY AND REFLECTRON TIME-OF-FLIGHT MASS SPECTROMETRY ANALYSIS OF ETHANE (C₂H₆) AND D6-ETHANE (C₂D₆) ICES EXPOSED TO IONIZING RADIATION

Saturn Plasma Sources and Associated Transport Processes

Science goals and mission concept for the future exploration of Titan and Enceladus

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Heavy ion formation in Titan's ionosphere: Magnetospheric introduction of free oxygen and a source of Titan's aerosols?

Cited by 65 publications

References 123 publications

COMPLEX HYDROCARBON CHEMISTRY IN INTERSTELLAR AND SOLAR SYSTEM ICES REVEALED: A COMBINED INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY AND REFLECTRON TIME-OF-FLIGHT MASS SPECTROMETRY ANALYSIS OF ETHANE (C2H6) AND D6-ETHANE (C2D6) ICES EXPOSED TO IONIZING RADIATION

COMPLEX HYDROCARBON CHEMISTRY IN INTERSTELLAR AND SOLAR SYSTEM ICES REVEALED: A COMBINED INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY AND REFLECTRON TIME-OF-FLIGHT MASS SPECTROMETRY ANALYSIS OF ETHANE (C2H6) AND D6-ETHANE (C2D6) ICES EXPOSED TO IONIZING RADIATION

Saturn Plasma Sources and Associated Transport Processes

Science goals and mission concept for the future exploration of Titan and Enceladus

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

COMPLEX HYDROCARBON CHEMISTRY IN INTERSTELLAR AND SOLAR SYSTEM ICES REVEALED: A COMBINED INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY AND REFLECTRON TIME-OF-FLIGHT MASS SPECTROMETRY ANALYSIS OF ETHANE (C₂H₆) AND D6-ETHANE (C₂D₆) ICES EXPOSED TO IONIZING RADIATION

COMPLEX HYDROCARBON CHEMISTRY IN INTERSTELLAR AND SOLAR SYSTEM ICES REVEALED: A COMBINED INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY AND REFLECTRON TIME-OF-FLIGHT MASS SPECTROMETRY ANALYSIS OF ETHANE (C₂H₆) AND D6-ETHANE (C₂D₆) ICES EXPOSED TO IONIZING RADIATION