Hydrogen cyanide and butadiene as cryominerals on the surface of Titan

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dc.contributor.authorHodyss, RPen_AU
dc.contributor.authorVu, THen_AU
dc.contributor.authorMaynard-Casely, HEen_AU
dc.contributor.authorCable, MLen_AU
dc.contributor.authorMalaska, MJen_AU
dc.contributor.authorChoukroun, Men_AU
dc.date.accessioned2023-04-20T02:53:31Zen_AU
dc.date.available2023-04-20T02:53:31Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2021-12-17en_AU
dc.date.statistics2023-02-02en_AU
dc.description.abstractThe Cassini-Huygens mission has revealed a wide variety of Earth-like landforms on Titan’s surface: plains, mountains, plateaux, dunes, lakes, seas and rivers. Titan’s surface appears to be constructed from organic materials and ice, rather than rocks and minerals that make up Earth’s surface. At a surface temperature of ~92 K, non-covalent interactions such as hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces are sufficiently strong to enable stable interactions among these organic molecules, which form an entirely new class of cryogenic organic minerals (naturally occurring compounds with a specific composition). Photochemical models, partially validated by Huygens surface measurements and Cassini spacecraft measurements as well as Earth-based observations, allow us to make an initial guess for the composition of Titan’s surface. Simple organic molecules like acetylene, hydrogen cyanide, acetonitrile, etc. in their solid form are expected to be important constituents of the surface. However, many of their crystal structures and properties in solid state, at Titan relevant temperatures, are ambiguous. It is highly likely that crystalline polymorphs of some of these molecules are yet to be discovered. The crystal structure of a solid material is one of its most fundamental properties, and is necessary for understanding of intermolecular interactions and for prediction of mechanical and chemical properties – such as the ability to support deep valleys, high canyon walls, and resistance to erosion. We will present new data on the crystal structure and physical properties of two molecules thought to be present in significant quantities on Titan’s surface: hydrogen cyanide and butadiene. We have used Raman spectroscopy and cryogenic powder X-ray diffraction to better understand the phase behavior and structure of these materials under Titan conditions. While hydrogen cyanide is known to undergo a phase transition at ~170 K, the behavior of butadiene at low temperature has not been explored in detail. Our data indicates a new monoclinic structure for butadiene, and a possible new structure for HCN at low temperature. We will also present the implications of these results for Titan’s geology and evolution.en_AU
dc.identifier.articlenumberP45G-2515en_AU
dc.identifier.booktitleAGU Fall Meeting Abstractsen_AU
dc.identifier.citationHodyss, R. P., Vu, T. H., Maynard-Casely, H. E., Cable, M. L., Malaska, M., & Choukroun, M. (2021). Hydrogen cyanide and butadiene as cryominerals on the surface of Titan. Presentation to the AGU Fall Meeting 2021, New Orleans, Louisiana and Online, 13-17 December 2021. In AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts (Vol. 2021, P45G-2515). Retrieved from: https://agu.confex.com/agu/fm21/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/912386en_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceenddate17 December 2021en_AU
dc.identifier.conferencenameAGU Fall Meeting 2021en_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceplaceNew Orleans, Louisiana and Onlineen_AU
dc.identifier.conferencestartdate13 December 2021en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://agu.confex.com/agu/fm21/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/912386en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/14911en_AU
dc.identifier.volume2021en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherAmerican Geophysical Union (AGU)en_AU
dc.subjectMoonen_AU
dc.subjectSaturn planeten_AU
dc.subjectHydrogen cyanidesen_AU
dc.subjectButadieneen_AU
dc.subjectSurface areaen_AU
dc.subjectRocksen_AU
dc.subjectMineralsen_AU
dc.subjectTemperature rangeen_AU
dc.subjectMoleculesen_AU
dc.subjectCanyonsen_AU
dc.subjectRaman spectroscopyen_AU
dc.titleHydrogen cyanide and butadiene as cryominerals on the surface of Titanen_AU
dc.typeConference Presentationen_AU
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