Numerical calculations of the longevity of impact oases on Titan

O’Brien, D. P.; Lorenz, Ralph D.; Lunine, Jonathan I.

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2004.08.001

Cited by 77 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…However, models indicate that melting caused by impacts and/or cryovolcanism may lead to its episodic availability. Impact melt pools on Titan would take ∼10 2 -10 4 years to freeze (O'Brien et al, 2005), and the possible cryovolcanic dome Ganesa Macula would have taken ∼10 2 -10 5 years to freeze (Neish et al, 2006). Oxygen incorporation into Titan tholins via hydrolysis is therefore fast compared to the freezing of transient liquid environments on Titan.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low temperature hydrolysis of laboratory tholins in ammonia-water solutions: Implications for prebiotic chemistry on Titan

Neish

Somogyi

Lunine

et al. 2009

Icarus

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low temperature hydrolysis of laboratory tholins in ammonia-water solutions: Implications for prebiotic chemistry on Titan

Neish

Somogyi

Lunine

et al. 2009

Icarus

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“…Grey and dark bars correspond to structure I and structure II clathrates, respectively. 10 2 -10 4 years depending on crater size and the makeup of Titan's surficial ice (O'Brien et al, 2005;Artemieva and Lunine, 2005;Neish et al, 2008). Within this time, water will react with impactor fragments to liberate phosphorus and modify P compound chemistry.…”

Section: Impact Meltsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phosphorus chemistry on Titan

Pasek

Mousis

Lunine

2011

Icarus

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“…The episodic presence of liquid water bodies formed from the melting of surface water ice by big impacts can be considered (O'Brien et al 2005;Lunine 2003, 2005). With a life time of several thousands years (O'Brien et al 2005) it could allow an efficient hydrolysis of the macromolecular organics of the aerosols into compounds of biological interest, such as amino acids (Raulin et al 2007;Neish et al 2008Neish et al , 2009. Such an evolution may also occur, although at a much lower rate, when the tholin-like material is in contact with water ice.…”

Section: Prebiotic Chemistry In the Atmosphere On The Surface In Thmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exobiology and Planetary Protection of icy moons

et al. 2010

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The outer solar system is an important area of investigation for exobiology, the study of life in the universe. Several moons of the outer planets involve processes and structures comparable to those thought to have played an important role in the emergence of life on Earth, such as the formation and exchange of organic materials between different reservoirs. The study of these prebiotic processes on, and in, outer solar system moons is a key goal for exobiology, together with the question of habitability and the search for evidence of past or even present life. This chapter reviews the aspects of prebiotic chemistry and potential presence of life on Europa, Enceladus and Titan, based on the most recent data obtained from space missions as well as theoretical and experimental laboratory models. The habitability of these extraterrestrial environments, which are likely to include large reservoirs of liquid water in their internal structure, is discussed as well as the particular case of Titan's hydrocarbon lakes. The question of planetary protection, especially in the case of Europa, is also presented. F. Raulin ( ) Exobiology and HabitabilitySince the emergence of exobiology in the 1960s, the definition of this new and continuously increasing field has evolved from the search for and study of life outside the Earth to the study of life in the whole universe. Exobiology (∼ astrobiology) thus includes today the search for extraterrestrial life, but also the study of the origin and limits of life on Earth, as well as the study of processes and structures related to life. Extraterrestrial organic chemistry, and all related processes, including the formation and exchange of organic materials between different reservoirs of planetary significance is an important part of exobiology. The later are present in many planetary objects of the solar system, especially in the outer solar system, on and in many of its moons.Several of these extraterrestrial organic processes may be similar to those which allowed the origin of life on Earth, about 4 billion years ago. They involve low molecular weight reactive compounds, such as nitriles, HCN and HC 3 CN, and hydrocarbons such as C 2 H 2 and C 2 H 4 , and their oligomers or polymers. The chemical evolution of these compounds in liquid water yielded macromolecules capable of self-replication on the primitive Earth, and the first living systems. Studying some of the chemical steps which are occurring today in these extraterrestrial environments and in particular the exchange processes involved can provide some insights into the chemical evolution which occurred on the early Earth. Studying these processes is of paramount importance since they are not present anymore on our planet and cannot be reproduced experimentally in the laboratory because of unrealistic time requirements. Those processes are also of great interest by themselves since they allow complexification of matter in extraterrestrial environments, providing a possible step toward the emergence of life, either for life a...

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Numerical calculations of the longevity of impact oases on Titan

Cited by 77 publications

References 38 publications

Low temperature hydrolysis of laboratory tholins in ammonia-water solutions: Implications for prebiotic chemistry on Titan

Low temperature hydrolysis of laboratory tholins in ammonia-water solutions: Implications for prebiotic chemistry on Titan

Phosphorus chemistry on Titan

Exobiology and Planetary Protection of icy moons

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