HR: 1340h
AN: SA13A-1126    [Abstracts]
TI: Modeling Titan's Upper Atmosphere with 1-D and 3-D Models:
AU: * Bell, J M
EM: jmbell@engin.umich.edu
AF: Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences, University of Michigan, Space Research Building 2455 Hayward Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 United States
AU: DeLaHaye, V
EM: vdelah@engin.umich.edu
AF: Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences, University of Michigan, Space Research Building 2455 Hayward Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 United States
AU: Bougher, S W
EM: bougher@umich.edu
AF: Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences, University of Michigan, Space Research Building 2455 Hayward Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 United States
AU: Waite, J H
EM: hunterw@umich.edu
AF: Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences, University of Michigan, Space Research Building 2455 Hayward Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 United States
AU: Cravens, T
AF: Department of Physics and Astronomy , University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045 United States
AB: Titan, the 2nd largest moon in the solar system, contains a substantial atmosphere like present-day Earth. However, its unique nitrile and hydrocarbon composition appears analogous to that of a pre-biotic Earth (Yung, Allen and Pinto 1984). Finally, Titan's position within Saturn's magnetosphere provides a unique plasma environment for further investigation. Given all of these qualities, studying this satellite through numerical models represents an intriguing endeavor in comparative planetary atmospheres. The arrival of Cassini-Huygens at Titan in late October will provide data crucial to better understanding the vertical chemical and thermal structures. In anticipation of this data, a 1-D model of Titan's upper atmosphere has been developed. Currently, this model includes solar heating, coupled photochemical and thermal conduction routines, and a full radiative transfer code of HCN rotational cooling. Also, magnetospheric forcing has been incorporated making use of offline calculations from the Cravens ionospheric model. Results from the 1-D model will be presented, including temperature and density profiles for various solar and Saturn magnetospheric conditions. In addition, preliminary simulations from a new 3-D Titan TGCM will be presented, although the model remains in an early stage of development.
UR: http://data.engin.umich.edu/tgcm_planets_archive/thermo.html
DE: 5405 Atmospheres--composition and chemistry
DE: 5409 Atmospheres--structure and dynamics
DE: 6280 Saturnian satellites
DE: 3210 Modeling
DE: 0343 Planetary atmospheres (5405, 5407, 5409, 5704, 5705, 5707)
SC: SPA-Aeronomy [SA]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting