TY - JOUR
T1 - C2N2 vertical profile in Titan's stratosphere
AU - Sylvestre, Melody A S
AU - Teanby, Nicholas A
AU - Dobrijevic, M.
AU - Sharkey, Jason
AU - Irwin, Patrick G. J.
PY - 2020/9/21
Y1 - 2020/9/21
N2 - In this paper, we present the first measurements of the vertical distribution of cyanogen (C2N2) in Titan’s lower atmosphere at different latitudes and seasons, us- ing Cassini/CIRS far-IR data. We also study the vertical distribution of three other minor species detected in our data: methylacetylene (C3H4), diacetylene (C4H2) and H2O, in order to compare them to C2N2, but also to get an overview of their seasonal and meridional variations in Titan’s lower stratosphere from 85 km to 225 km. We measured an average volume mixing ratio of C2N2 of 6.2 ± 0.8 × 10−11 at 125 km at the equator, but poles exhibit a strong enrichment in C2N2 (up to a factor 100 com- pared to the equator), greater than what was measured for C3H4 or C4H2 . Measuring C2N2 profiles provides constraints on the processes controlling its distribution, such as bombardment by Galactic Cosmic Rays which seem to have a smaller influence on C2N2 than predicted by photochemical models.
AB - In this paper, we present the first measurements of the vertical distribution of cyanogen (C2N2) in Titan’s lower atmosphere at different latitudes and seasons, us- ing Cassini/CIRS far-IR data. We also study the vertical distribution of three other minor species detected in our data: methylacetylene (C3H4), diacetylene (C4H2) and H2O, in order to compare them to C2N2, but also to get an overview of their seasonal and meridional variations in Titan’s lower stratosphere from 85 km to 225 km. We measured an average volume mixing ratio of C2N2 of 6.2 ± 0.8 × 10−11 at 125 km at the equator, but poles exhibit a strong enrichment in C2N2 (up to a factor 100 com- pared to the equator), greater than what was measured for C3H4 or C4H2 . Measuring C2N2 profiles provides constraints on the processes controlling its distribution, such as bombardment by Galactic Cosmic Rays which seem to have a smaller influence on C2N2 than predicted by photochemical models.
U2 - 10.3847/1538-3881/abafb2
DO - 10.3847/1538-3881/abafb2
M3 - Article (Academic Journal)
VL - 160
JO - Astronomical Journal
JF - Astronomical Journal
SN - 0004-6256
IS - 4
M1 - 178
ER -