Ion Neutral Mass Spectrometer Results from the First Flyby of Titan
Top Cited Papers
- 13 May 2005
- journal article
- other
- Published by American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Science
- Vol. 308 (5724) , 982-986
- https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1110652
Abstract
The Cassini Ion Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS) has obtained the first in situ composition measurements of the neutral densities of molecular nitrogen, methane, molecular hydrogen, argon, and a host of stable carbon-nitrile compounds in Titan's upper atmosphere. INMS in situ mass spectrometry has also provided evidence for atmospheric waves in the upper atmosphere and the first direct measurements of isotopes of nitrogen, carbon, and argon, which reveal interesting clues about the evolution of the atmosphere. The bulk composition and thermal structure of the moon's upper atmosphere do not appear to have changed considerably since the Voyager 1 flyby.Keywords
This publication has 18 references indexed in Scilit:
- Submillimeter Observations of Titan: Global Measures of Stratospheric Temperature, CO, HCN, HC 3 N, and the Isotopic Ratios 12 C/ 13 C and 14 N/ 15 NThe Astrophysical Journal, 2004
- Protosolar NitrogenThe Astrophysical Journal, 2001
- The possibility of nitrogen isotopic fractionation in interstellar cloudsMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2000
- Carbon and hydrogen isotope systematics of bacterial formation and oxidation of methaneChemical Geology, 1999
- Isotopic Composition of Solar Wind Nitrogen: First In Situ Determination with the CELIAS/MTOF Spectrometer on board [ITAL]SOHO[/ITAL]The Astrophysical Journal, 1998
- Isotopic Fractionation of Stratospheric Nitrous OxideScience, 1997
- Millimeter and Submillimeter Heterodyne Observations of Titan: Retrieval of the Vertical Profile of HCN and the12C/13C Ratio☆Icarus, 1997
- Titan's atmosphere from voyager infrared observationsIcarus, 1989
- High-temperature shock formation of N2 and organics on primordial TitanNature, 1988
- Evolution of a Nitrogen Atmosphere on TitanScience, 1978