Survey of Cryogenic Nitrogen Thermomechanical Property Data Relevant to Outer Solar System Bodies

Abstract

AbstractThe outer Solar System has many bodies of interest that have continued to captivate the planetary science community, recently Triton, a captured Kuiper belt object (KBO) of Neptune, and Pluto. Limited fly‐by observational data shows evidence that nitrogen is the dominant constituent on these two bodies, potentially also existing on other KBOs as well. Current simulations related to answering fundamental science questions and also to develop future mission science packages and vehicles require accurate, reliable thermodynamic, and mechanical property data of solid and gaseous nitrogen at relevant surface and atmospheric conditions. This paper thus presents an exhaustive review of all available experimental N2 property data dating back to 1887. Each historical study is systematically analyzed and summarized and then the consolidated database is assembled. Comments are made on the validity of data sets, with an emphasis on specific heat capacity at constant pressure and constant volume (CP, Cv), thermal conductivity (κ), volume thermal expansion (αV), density (ρ), equilibrium vapor pressure (Pvap), heat of sublimation (ΔHS), heat of transition (ΔHT), Gruneisen parameter (γG), adiabatic and isothermal compressibility (xS, xT) and moduli of elasticity (C11, C12, C13, C33, C44). Results here can be used directly and immediately to perform new simulations on N2‐based bodies as well as to determine gaps in the consolidated database for future experiments.