The low temperature organic chemistry of Titan's geofluid

Abstract

Organic chemistry on Titan and prebiotic chemistry on Earth involve the same N-containing organics: nitriles and their oligomers. Couplings of their chemistry in the three parts of Titan's geofluid (atmosphere, aerosols and surface) seem to play a key role in the organic chemical evolution of the planet. If liquid water was present on Titan, then a prebiotic chemistry, involving eutectics, similar to that of the early Earth, may have occurred. However, liquid water is currently absent and a prebiotic chemistry based only on N-organics may be evolving now on Titan. The other consequence of the low temperatures of Titan is the possible formation of organics unstable at room temperature and very reactive. So far, these compounds have not been sytematically searched for in experimental studies of Titan's organic chemistry. C 4N 2 has already been detected on Titan. Powerful reactants in organic chemistry, CH 2N 2, and CH 3N 3, may be also present. They exhibit spectral signatures in the mid-IR strong enough to allow their detection at the 10–100 ppb level. They may be detectable on future IR spectra (ISO and Cassini) of Titan.