Open AccessThe CH 4 structure in Titan's upper atmosphere revisited
Author(s) -
Cui J.,
Yelle R. V.,
Strobel D. F.,
MüllerWodarg I. C. F.,
Snowden D. S.,
Koskinen T. T.,
Galand M.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: planets
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/2012je004222
Subject(s) - titan (rocket family) , atmospheric sciences , astrobiology , ionosphere , physics , chemical physics , atmosphere (unit) , mixing ratio , environmental science , atomic physics , geophysics , meteorology
In this study, we reanalyze the CH 4 structure in Titan's upper atmosphere combining the Cassini Ion Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS) data from 32 flybys and incorporating several updates in the data reduction algorithms. We argue that based on our current knowledge of eddy mixing and neutral temperature, strong CH 4 escape must occur on Titan. Ignoring ionospheric chemistry, the optimal CH 4 loss rate is ∼3 × 10 27 s −1 or 80 kg s −1 in a globally averaged sense, consistent with the early result of Yelle et al. (2008). The considerable variability in CH 4 structure among different flybys implies that CH 4 escape on Titan is more likely a sporadic rather than a steady process, with the CH 4 profiles from about half of the flybys showing evidence for strong escape and most of the other flybys consistent with diffusive equilibrium. CH 4 inflow is also occasionally required to interpret the data. Our analysis further reveals that strong CH 4 escape preferentially occurs on the nightside of Titan, in conflict with the expectations of any solar‐driven model. In addition, there is an apparent tendency of elevated CH 4 escape with enhanced electron precipitation from the ambient plasma, but this is likely to be a coincidence as the time response of the CH 4 structure may not be fast enough to leave an observable effect during a Titan encounter.