Evolution with seasons of the organic content on Titan : from its atmosphere to the surface

摘要

Saturn's Earth-like satellite Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere consisting of nitrogen (98.4%), methane (1.6%) and trace gases such as hydrocarbons and nitriles. The condensed organics are deposited on the surface and the atmosphere-surface-interior interactions shape the ground. In particular, Titan's methane cycle, similarly to the Earth's hydrologic cycle, plays an important role in these exchanges by transporting methane at all layers. We analyse spectroscopic data from the Cassini/CIRS instrument in the far-infrared and spectro-imaging data (0.8-5.2 μm) from Cassini/VIMS to study Titan's surface changes consisting of a multivariable geological terrain.