A study of very high resolution visible spectra of Titan: Line characterisation in visible CH<sub>4</sub> bands and the search for C<sub>3</sub> - INSU - Institut national des sciences de l'Univers
Article Dans Une Revue Planetary and Space Science Année : 2024

A study of very high resolution visible spectra of Titan: Line characterisation in visible CH4 bands and the search for C3

Résumé

The atmosphere of Titan is a unique natural laboratory for the study of atmospheric evolution and photochemistry akin to that of the primitive Earth, with a wide array of complex molecules discovered through infrared and sub-mm spectroscopy. Here, we explore high resolution visible spectra of Titan (obtained with VLT-UVES) and retrieve an empirical high resolution list of methane absorption features at high resolution, (R = 100 . 000) between 5250 Å and 6180 Å, for which no linelists are yet available. Furthermore, we search for the predicted, but previously undetected carbon trimer, C3, on the atmosphere of Titan, at its 4051 Å band. Our results are consistent with the presence of C3 at the upper atmosphere of Titan, with a column density of 1013 cm-2. This study of Titan's atmosphere with high-resolution visible spectroscopy presents a unique opportunity to observe a planetary atmosphere where CH4 is the main visible molecular absorber, from which CH4 optical proprieties can be studied. It also showcases the use of a close planetary target to test new methods for chemical retrieval of minor atmospheric compounds, in preparation for upcoming studies of cold terrestrial exoplanet atmospheres.
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insu-04853484 , version 1 (22-12-2024)

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Rafael Rianço-Silva, Pedro Machado, Zita Martins, Emmanuel Lellouch, Jean-Christophe Loison, et al.. A study of very high resolution visible spectra of Titan: Line characterisation in visible CH4 bands and the search for C3. Planetary and Space Science, 2024, 240, ⟨10.1016/j.pss.2023.105836⟩. ⟨insu-04853484⟩
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