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Science 16 December 1983:
Vol. 222. no. 4629, pp. 1229 - 1230
DOI: 10.1126/science.222.4629.1229
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Articles

Ethane Ocean on Titan

JONATHAN I. LUNINE 1, DAVID J. STEVENSON 1, and YUK L. YUNG 1

1 Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena 91125

It is proposed that Saturn's satellite Titan is covered by an ocean one to several kilometers deep consisting mainly of ethane. If the ocean is in thermodynamic equilibrium with an atmosphere of 3 percent (mole fraction) methane, then its composition is roughly 70 percent ethane, 25 percent methane, and 5 percent nitrogen. Photochemical models predict that ethane is the dominant end product of methane photolysis so that the evolving ocean is both the source and sink for continuing photolysis. The coexisting atmosphere is compatible with Voyager data.

Submitted on June 30, 1983
Accepted on September 27, 1983


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