Titan's organic chemistry: Results of simulation experimentsRecent low pressure continuous low plasma discharge simulations of the auroral electron driven organic chemistry in Titan's mesosphere are reviewed. These simulations yielded results in good accord with Voyager observations of gas phase organic species. Optical constants of the brownish solid tholins produced in similar experiments are in good accord with Voyager observations of the Titan haze. Titan tholins are rich in prebiotic organic constituents; the Huygens entry probe may shed light on some of the processes that led to the origin of life on Earth.
Document ID
19920023125
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Sagan, Carl (Cornell Univ. Ithaca, NY, United States)
Thompson, W. Reid (Cornell Univ. Ithaca, NY, United States)
Khare, Bishun N. (Cornell Univ. Ithaca, NY, United States)