Diagnostic of DC gliding discharge fed by CH4-N2 and admixtures for the mimic to Titan's atmosphere

abstract

English

The exploration of planetary atmosphere is being advanced by the exciting results of the Cassin-Huygens mission to Saturn and Titan, its most famous moon. The complex chemistry revealed in such atmospheres leading to the synthesis of bigger molecules is providing new insights into our understanding of how life on Earth developed. In our experiments Titan‘s atmosphere is simulated in a glow-discharge formed from a mixture of N2, CH4 and CO2 gases. Samples of the discharge gas were analysed by GC-MS and FTIR. The major products identified in the GC-MS spectra were: hydrogen cyanide, acetylene, acetonitrile, ethane, ethane, propene-nitrile and small amount of toulene. The same compounds were detected in the FTIR mostly hydrogen cyanide, acetylene and ammonia, which was not detected by GC-MS. Various hydrocarbons and nitriles were the other determined gaseous products. Whilst many of these compounds have been predicted and/or observed in the Titan atmosphere, the present plasma experiments provide evidence of both the chemical complexity of Titan atmospheric processes and the mechanisms by which larger species grow prior to form the dust that should cover much of the Titan’s surface.

GC-MS, FTIR, Titan's atmosphere

MAZÁNKOVÁ, V.; KRČMA, F.; TÖRÖKOVÁ, L.; MASON, N.; MATĚJČÍK, Š.

25. 4. 2016

Vilnius

neuvedeno

88

88

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