Chemical processes in the atmoshere of Titan - experimental study

Abstract:
The Cassini-Huygens mission significantly expanded knowledge of the Titan atmosphere which is similar to the prebiotic terrestrial atmosphere and represents a frozen model of Earth. Theoretical models of the Titan ionosphere do not agree with observations, specially in abundances of larger negative ions. This is due to a lack of knowledge of the rate constants of ion-molecule reactions. The current data were obtained at room temperature and extrapolation to the temperature of Titan ionosphere (~ 80K) is inaccurate and there are no data for the important anions. The aim of the proposed project is to experimentally study the atmospheric ion chemistry at temperatures 80-300K using the modified selected ion flow tube, SIFT, instrument available in the laboratory. Reactions of anions CnH-(n=2-6), C6H4-, CnN-(n=1-9) with molecules present in the atmosphere of Titan will be studied. There is a high demand for this type of data for the modeling not only in the atmosphere of Titan, but also in other cosmic objects. Direct application of the project results is thus virtually guaranteed.