Gas Chromatography Analysis of Discharge Products in N sub(2)-CH sub(4) Gas Mixture at Atmospheric Pressure: Study of Mimic Titan's Atmosphere

• Published in: Contributions to plasma physics (1988) Vol. 55; no. 6; pp. 470 - 480
• Main Authors: Torokova, L, Watson, J, Krcma, F, Mazankova, V, Mason, N J, Horvath, G, Matejcik, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-06-2015
• Subjects: Atmospheres; Atmospherics; Barometric pressure; Discharge; Gas chromatography; Gas mixtures; Saturn satellites; Titan
• ISSN: 0863-1042; 1521-3986
• DOI: 10.1002/ctpp.201400052

In this paper, we report presence of various organic products formed in a flowing atmospheric glow discharge fed by gas mixture containing 1-5 % of methane in nitrogen, which mimics the Titan's atmosphere. Gaseous products from the discharge exhaust were analysed by Gas Chromatography with Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The experimental results revealed C sub(2)H sub(2), HCN, and CH sub(3)CN as the major products. Various hydrocarbons and nitriles were the other determined gaseous products. Whilst many of these compounds have been predicted and/or observed in the Titan atmosphere, the present plasma experiments provide evidence of both the chemical complexity of Titan atmospheric processes and the mechanisms by which larger species grow prior to form the dust that should cover much of the Titan's surface. ( copyright 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)