The Process of Tholin Formation in Titan's Upper Atmosphere

Abstract

Titan's lower atmosphere has long been known to harbor organic aerosols (tholins) presumed to have been formed from simple molecules, such as methane and nitrogen (CH 4 and N 2 ). Up to now, it has been assumed that tholins were formed at altitudes of several hundred kilometers by processes as yet unobserved. Using measurements from a combination of mass/charge and energy/charge spectrometers on the Cassini spacecraft, we have obtained evidence for tholin formation at high altitudes (∼1000 kilometers) in Titan's atmosphere. The observed chemical mix strongly implies a series of chemical reactions and physical processes that lead from simple molecules (CH 4 and N 2 ) to larger, more complex molecules (80 to 350 daltons) to negatively charged massive molecules (∼8000 daltons), which we identify as tholins. That the process involves massive negatively charged molecules and aerosols is completely unexpected.