Nitrogen Atmospheres of the Icy Bodies in the Solar System : научное издание

Описание

Тип публикации: статья из журнала

Год издания: 2020

Идентификатор DOI: 10.1007/s11214-020-00752-0

Ключевые слова: titan, nitrogen atmospheres, isotopes, icy satellites, atmospheric evolution, isotope measurement techniques

Аннотация: This brief review will discuss the current knowledge on the origin and evolution of the nitrogen atmospheres of the icy bodies in the solar system, particularly of Titan, Triton and Pluto. An important tool to analyse and understand the origin and evolution of these atmospheres can be found in the different isotopic signatures of tПоказать полностьюheir atmospheric constituents. The N-14/N-15 ratio of the N-2-dominated atmospheres of these bodies serve as a footprint of the building blocks from which Titan, Triton and Pluto originated and of the diverse fractionation processes that shaped these atmospheres over their entire evolution. Together with other measured isotopic and elemental ratios such as C-12/C-13 or Ar-36/N-2 these atmospheres can give important insights into the history of the icy bodies in the solar system, the diverse processes that affect their N-2-dominated atmospheres, and the therewith connected solar activity evolution. Titan's gaseous envelope most likely originated from ammonia ices with possible contributions from refractory organics. Its isotopic signatures can yet be seen in the - compared to Earth - comparatively heavy N-14/N-15 ratio of 167.7, even though this value slightly evolved over its history due to atmospheric escape and photodissociation of N-2. The origin and evolution of Pluto's and Triton's tenuous nitrogen atmospheres remain unclear, even though it might be likely that their atmospheres originated from the protosolar nebula or from comets. An in-situ space mission to Triton such as the recently proposed Trident mission, and/or to the ice giants would be a crucial cornerstone for a better understanding of the origin and evolution of the icy bodies in the outer solar system and their atmospheres in general. Due to the importance of the isotopic measurements for understanding the origin and evolution of the icy bodies in the solar system, this review will also give a brief discussion on the diverse isotope measurement techniques with a focus on nitrogen.

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Издание

Журнал: SPACE SCIENCE REVIEWS

Выпуск журнала: Vol. 216, Is. 8

Номера страниц: 123

ISSN журнала: 00386308

Место издания: DORDRECHT

Издатель: SPRINGER

Персоны

  • Scherf M. (Austrian Acad Sci, Space Res Inst, Schmiedlstr 6, A-8042 Graz, Austria)
  • Lammer H. (Austrian Acad Sci, Space Res Inst, Schmiedlstr 6, A-8042 Graz, Austria)
  • Erkaev N.V. (RAS, SB, Inst Computat Modeling, Krasnoyarsk 660036, Russia; Siberian Fed Univ, Krasnoyarsk 660036, Russia)
  • Mandt K.E. (Johns Hopkins Univ, Appl Phys Lab, Laurel, MD USA)
  • Thaller S.E. (Karl Franzens Univ Graz, IGAM, Inst Phys, Univ Pl 5, A-8010 Graz, Austria)
  • Marty B. (CNRS, UMR, Ctr Rech Petrograph & Geochim, Vandoeuvre Les Nancy, France; Univ Lorraine, Vandoeuvre Les Nancy, France)