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Physical properties of ammonia‐rich ice: Application to Titan
Author(s) -
Lorenz Ralph D.,
Shandera Sarah E.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2000gl012199
Subject(s) - titan (rocket family) , water ice , sea ice growth processes , aqueous solution , liquid water , atmospheric sciences , thermal conductivity , ammonia , ice water , astrobiology , ice cloud , geology , mineralogy , materials science , chemistry , thermodynamics , physics , sea ice , cryosphere , sea ice thickness , climatology , earth science , radiative transfer , optics , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry
We report simple measurements of the physical properties of frozen aqueous solutions of NH 3 down to 80 K. These measurements are relevant for the geophysics of icy satellites and Titan in particular. We find that the thermal conductivity of NH 3 ‐rich (∼10–30%) water ice is 1–2 Wm −1 K −1 , or 2–3 times lower than that of pure water ice. We find evidence for significant microwave absorptivity in NH 3 ‐rich ice—even at 100K—and that the electrical properties are very strongly temperature‐dependent. At around 100K the Young's Modulus for NH 3 ‐free and NH 3 ‐rich ice appears to be about the same, while at 160K the NH 3 ‐rich ice is 10x more compliant.