Detection of CH$_3$C$_3$N in Titan's Atmosphere

TL;DR

This study reports the first spectroscopic detection of methylcyanoacetylene (CH₃C₃N) in Titan's atmosphere using ALMA, providing new insights into its organic chemistry and atmospheric composition.

Contribution

The paper presents the first detection of CH₃C₃N in Titan's atmosphere via ALMA, constraining its abundance and informing chemical pathways, which advances understanding of Titan's organic chemistry.

Findings

Detected CH₃C₃N in Titan's atmosphere through ALMA observations.

Derived the column density of CH₃C₃N as (3.8-5.7)×10¹² cm⁻².

CH₃C₃N is the heaviest polar molecule spectroscopically identified in Titan's atmosphere.

Abstract

Titan harbors a dense, organic-rich atmosphere primarily composed of N$_2$ and CH$_4$, with lesser amounts of hydrocarbons and nitrogen-bearing species. As a result of high sensitivity observations by the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Band 6 ($\sim$230-272 GHz), we obtained the first spectroscopic detection of CH$_3$C$_3$N (methylcyanoacetylene or cyanopropyne) in Titan's atmosphere through the observation of seven transitions in the $J = 64\rightarrow63$ and $J = 62\rightarrow61$ rotational bands. The presence of CH$_3$C$_3$N on Titan was suggested by the Cassini Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer detection of its protonated form: C$_4$H$_3$NH$^+$, but the atmospheric abundance of the associated (deprotonated) neutral product is not well constrained due to the lack of appropriate laboratory reaction data. Here, we derive the column density of CH$_3$C$_3$N to be (3.8-5.7)$\times10^{12}$ cm$^{-2}$ based on radiative transfer models sensitive to altitudes above 400 km Titan's middle atmosphere. When compared with laboratory and photochemical model results, the detection of methylcyanoacetylene provides important constraints for the determination of the associated production pathways (such as those involving CN, CCN, and hydrocarbons), and reaction rate coefficients. These results also further demonstrate the importance of ALMA and (sub)millimeter spectroscopy for future investigations of Titan's organic inventory and atmospheric chemistry, as CH$_3$C$_3$N marks the heaviest polar molecule detected spectroscopically in Titan's atmosphere to date.