phyrex1an
Staff Member and irregular helper
- Reaction score
- 447
Note: This article is over a year old.
===========
Recent results from the Cassini mission suggest that hydrogen and acetylene are depleted at the surface of Titan. Both results are still preliminary and the hydrogen loss in particular is the result of a computer calculation, and not a direct measurement. However the findings are interesting for astrobiology. Heather Smith and I, in a paper published 5 years ago (McKay and Smith, 2005) suggested that methane-based (rather than water-based) life – ie, organisms called methanogens -- on Titan could consume hydrogen, acetylene, and ethane. The key conclusion of that paper (last line of the abstract) was "The results of the recent Huygens probe could indicate the presence of such life by anomalous depletions of acetylene and ethane as well as hydrogen at the surface."
Now there seems to be evidence for all three of these on Titan. Clark et al. (2010, in press in JGR) are reporting depletions of acetylene at the surface. And it has been long appreciated that there is not as much ethane as expected on the surface of Titan. And now Strobel (2010, in press in Icarus) predicts a strong flux of hydrogen into the surface.
This is a still a long way from "evidence of life". However, it is extremely interesting.
More here.
Some related th news:
http://www.thehelper.net/forums/showthread.php/12969-Lifting-the-Veil-on-Titan
http://www.thehelper.net/forums/sho...an-Probe-Drops-Into-Creme-Brulee-Like-Surface
http://www.thehelper.net/forums/showthread.php/14036-Titan-s-Streams-Like-Earth-s
Some real pictures of Titan:
http://www.astrobio.net/pressrelease/4260/a-color-map-of-titan
===========
Recent results from the Cassini mission suggest that hydrogen and acetylene are depleted at the surface of Titan. Both results are still preliminary and the hydrogen loss in particular is the result of a computer calculation, and not a direct measurement. However the findings are interesting for astrobiology. Heather Smith and I, in a paper published 5 years ago (McKay and Smith, 2005) suggested that methane-based (rather than water-based) life – ie, organisms called methanogens -- on Titan could consume hydrogen, acetylene, and ethane. The key conclusion of that paper (last line of the abstract) was "The results of the recent Huygens probe could indicate the presence of such life by anomalous depletions of acetylene and ethane as well as hydrogen at the surface."
Now there seems to be evidence for all three of these on Titan. Clark et al. (2010, in press in JGR) are reporting depletions of acetylene at the surface. And it has been long appreciated that there is not as much ethane as expected on the surface of Titan. And now Strobel (2010, in press in Icarus) predicts a strong flux of hydrogen into the surface.
This is a still a long way from "evidence of life". However, it is extremely interesting.
More here.
Some related th news:
http://www.thehelper.net/forums/showthread.php/12969-Lifting-the-Veil-on-Titan
http://www.thehelper.net/forums/sho...an-Probe-Drops-Into-Creme-Brulee-Like-Surface
http://www.thehelper.net/forums/showthread.php/14036-Titan-s-Streams-Like-Earth-s
Some real pictures of Titan:
http://www.astrobio.net/pressrelease/4260/a-color-map-of-titan
