Dynamical implications of seasonal and spatial variations in Titan's stratospheric composition

Teanby, N. A.; Irwin, Patrick G. J.; Kok, Remco de; Nixon, C. A.

doi:10.1098/rsta.2008.0164

Cited by 55 publications

(91 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…The collapse of the detached aerosol layer (West et al 2011) suggests that the dynamics during this period go through a rapid transition which should also affect the gas distribution. The rapid decrease after mid-2009, for which the most straightforward explanation is that the vortex has shrunk somewhat, would be consistent with the weakening thermal gradient we find here and that of the winds also reported by Achterberg et al (2008Achterberg et al ( , 2011 and Teanby et al (2009b). The finding also ties into the location of the maximum temperature gradient, which appears to be moving northward over the winter/spring season (Teanby et al 2010; Figure 3, T panel).…”

Section: Discussion Of the Results And Possible Interpretationssupporting

confidence: 76%

THERMAL AND CHEMICAL STRUCTURE VARIATIONS IN TITAN'S STRATOSPHERE DURING THECASSINIMISSION

Bampasidis

Coustenis

Achterberg

et al. 2012

ApJ

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We have developed a line-by-line Atmospheric Radiative Transfer for Titan code that includes the most recent laboratory spectroscopic data and haze descriptions relative to Titan's stratosphere. We use this code to model Cassini Composite Infrared Spectrometer data taken during the numerous Titan flybys from 2006 to 2012 at surface-intercepting geometry in the 600-1500 cm −1 range for latitudes from 50 • S to 50 • N. We report variations in temperature and chemical composition in the stratosphere during the Cassini mission, before and after the Northern Spring Equinox (NSE). We find indication for a weakening of the temperature gradient with warming of the stratosphere and cooling of the lower mesosphere. In addition, we infer precise concentrations for the trace gases and their main isotopologues and find that the chemical composition in Titan's stratosphere varies significantly with latitude during the 6 years investigated here, with increased mixing ratios toward the northern latitudes. In particular, we monitor and quantify the amplitude of a maximum enhancement of several gases observed at northern latitudes up to 50 • N around mid-2009, at the time of the NSE. We find that this rise is followed by a rapid decrease in chemical inventory in 2010 probably due to a weakening north polar vortex with reduced lateral mixing across the vortex boundary.

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Section: Discussion Of the Results And Possible Interpretationssupporting

confidence: 76%

THERMAL AND CHEMICAL STRUCTURE VARIATIONS IN TITAN'S STRATOSPHERE DURING THECASSINIMISSION

Bampasidis

Coustenis

Achterberg

et al. 2012

ApJ

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“…Teanby et al, 2009). The species under consideration here can be grouped into different categories according to their chemical time scales in Titan's stratosphere, calculated based on the model by Lavvas et al (2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Titan’s temporal evolution in stratospheric trace gases near the poles

Coustenis

Jennings

Achterberg

et al. 2016

Icarus

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“…The enrichment of the species at winter latitudes seems to be correlated with their vertical concentration gradient at low latitudes, which itself is approximately anti-correlated with their lifetime in the stratosphere (see Teanby et al (2009) for details). This can be explained by subsidence in the winter polar vortex, bringing air enriched in photochemical compounds from the upper atmosphere where they are formed down to the stratosphere (Lebonnois et al 2009 and references therein).…”

Section: Gas Compositionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Composition and chemistry of Titan's stratosphere

Bézard

2008

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A.

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Our present knowledge of the composition and chemistry of Titan's stratosphere is reviewed. Thermal measurements by the Cassini spacecraft show that the mixing ratios of all photochemical species, except ethylene, increase with altitude at equatorial and southern latitudes, reflecting transport from a high-altitude source to a condensation sink in the lower stratosphere. Most compounds are enriched at latitudes northward of 458 N, a consequence of subsidence in the winter polar vortex. This enrichment is much stronger for nitriles and complex hydrocarbons than for ethane and acetylene. Titan's chemistry originates from breakdown of methane due to photodissociation in the upper atmosphere and catalytical reactions in the stratosphere, and from destruction of nitrogen both by UV photons and electrons. Photochemistry also produces haze particles made of complex refractory material, albeit at a lower rate than ethane, the most abundant gas product. Haze characteristics (vertical distribution, physical and spectral properties) inferred by several instruments aboard Cassini/Huygens are discussed here.

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Dynamical implications of seasonal and spatial variations in Titan's stratospheric composition

Cited by 55 publications

References 38 publications

THERMAL AND CHEMICAL STRUCTURE VARIATIONS IN TITAN'S STRATOSPHERE DURING THECASSINIMISSION

THERMAL AND CHEMICAL STRUCTURE VARIATIONS IN TITAN'S STRATOSPHERE DURING THECASSINIMISSION

Titan’s temporal evolution in stratospheric trace gases near the poles

Composition and chemistry of Titan's stratosphere

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