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Particle Size and Abundance of HC3N Ice in Titan's Lower Stratosphere at High Northern LatitudesUp to now, there has been no corroboration from Cassini CIRS of the Voyager IRIS-discovery of cyanoacetylene (HC3N) ice in Titan's thermal infrared spectrum. We report the first compelling spectral evidence from CIRS for the v6 HC3N ice feature at 506 per centimeter at latitudes 62 deg. N and 70 deg. N, from which we derive particle sizes and column abundances in Titan's lower stratosphere. We find mean particle radii of 3.0 micrometers and 2.3 micrometers for condensed HC3N at 62 deg. N and 70 deg. N, respectively, and corresponding ice phase molecular column abundances in the range 1-10 x 10(exp 16) mol per square centimeter. Only upper limits for cloud abundances can be established at latitudes of 85 deg. N, 55 deg. N, 30 deg. N, 10 deg. N, and 15 deg. S. Under the assumption that cloud tops coincide with the uppermost levels at which HC3N vapor saturates, we infer geometric thicknesses for the clouds equivalent to 10-20 km or so, with tops at 165 km and 150 km at 70 deg. N and 62 Deg. N, respectively.
Document ID
20110007124
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Anderson, C. M.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Samuelson, R. E.
(Maryland Univ. College Park, MD, United States)
Bjoraker, G. L.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Actherberg, R. K.
(Maryland Univ. College Park, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 25, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2010
Publication Information
Publication: Icarus
Volume: 207
Issue: 2
Subject Category
Astronomy
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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