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Experimental simulation of Titan’s stratospheric photochemistry: benzene (C6H6) ices
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  • Isabelle Couturrier-Tamburelli,
  • Julie Mouzay,
  • Nathalie Piétri,
  • thierry chiavassa
Isabelle Couturrier-Tamburelli
Aix-Marseille Université

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Julie Mouzay
Aix Marseille Université
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Nathalie Piétri
Aix Marseille Université
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thierry chiavassa
Aix Marseille Université
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Abstract

We performed laboratory experiments to the photochemical evolution induced by long-UV radiations of benzene ices in Titan’s atmosphere. The aim of this study was to investigate if photo-processed benzene ices could lead to the formation of aerosols analog to the ones observed in Titan’s stratosphere. Prior to that, spectroscopic properties of amorphous and crystalline benzene ices were studied as a function of the temperature, using infrared spectroscopy. UV photolysis experiments (l > 230nm) of benzene ices lead to the formation of volatile photo-products of which fulvene is identified and of a residue, dominated by nCH IR features which demonstrate that pure aromatic-based polymeric structures are not sufficient to explain the composition of Titan’s haze layer present in the stratosphere. However, we provide a characterization of long-UV-induced benzene-containing aerosols analogs, which will contribute to Titan’s surface organics layer which is of prime interest in the context of the future Dragonfly space mission.