Photochemical Evolution of Condensed Organics in Titan’s Lower Atmosphere and on the Surface

Murthy S. Gudipati (1) , Isabelle Couturier-Tamburelli (2) , Benjamin Fleury (3) , Nathalie Carrasco (3) , Antti Lignell (4) , Ronen Jacovi (5)

1 JPL - Jet Propulsion Laboratory
2 Spectrométries et Dynamique Moléculaires
3 PLANETO - LATMOS
4 Arthur Amos Noyes Laboratory of Chemical Physics
5 KLA TENCOR

Fractionation of planetary systems is both interesting and puzzling. While the Jovian satellite Io seems to be enriched with sulfur and Europa and Ganymede with ice, Titan - the largest moon of Saturn is enriched with organics, and it is the third body in our solar system known to have significant atmosphere after Earth and Venus. Thus, Titan has at least two confirmed key ingradients for life as we know (energy and organics). Models suggest that Titan's interior is composed of fractionated rocks, minerals, and ice (water), making Titan's interior potentially habitable.

Domaines: Planétologie et astrophysique de la terre [astro-ph.EP]; Physique Atmosphérique et Océanique [physics.ao-ph]

Murthy S. Gudipati, Isabelle Couturier-Tamburelli, Benjamin Fleury, Nathalie Carrasco, Antti Lignell, et al.. Photochemical Evolution of Condensed Organics in Titan’s Lower Atmosphere and on the Surface. Astrobiology Science Conference 2015 (AbSciCon 2015 ): Habitability, Habitable Worlds, and Life, USRA Houston, Jun 2015, Chicago, United States. 7621.pdf. ⟨insu-01182941⟩