Observations of Titan's Stratosphere During Northern Summer: Temperatures, CH3CN and CH3D Abundances

TL;DR

This study provides new ALMA observations of Titan's stratosphere during northern summer, revealing temperature patterns and chemical abundance changes that inform understanding of seasonal atmospheric dynamics.

Contribution

The paper presents the first detailed maps of Titan's stratospheric temperature and chemical abundances during northern summer using ALMA, highlighting seasonal variability and chemical redistribution.

Findings

Temperatures increase towards high-southern winter latitudes, similar to northern winter observations.

Significant changes in acetonitrile distribution, now concentrated at high-southern latitudes.

Methane abundance varies spatially and temporally, with a global average of 1.15%.

Abstract

Titan's atmospheric composition and dynamical state have previously been studied over numerous epochs by both ground- and space-based facilities. However, stratospheric measurements remain sparse during Titan's northern summer and fall. The lack of seasonal symmetry in observations of Titan's temperature field and chemical abundances raises questions about the nature of the middle atmosphere's meridional circulation and evolution over Titan's 29-yr seasonal cycle that can only be answered through long-term monitoring campaigns. Here, we present maps of Titan's stratospheric temperature, acetonitrile (or methyl cyanide; CH$_3$CN), and monodeuterated methane (CH$_3$D) abundances following Titan's northern summer solstice obtained with Band 9 ($\sim0.43$ mm) ALMA observations. We find that increasing temperatures towards high-southern latitudes, currently in winter, resemble those observed during Titan's northern winter by the Cassini mission. Acetonitrile abundances have changed significantly since previous (sub)millimeter observations, and we find that the species is now highly concentrated at high-southern latitudes. The stratospheric CH$_3$D content is found to range between 4-8 ppm in these observations, and we infer the CH$_4$ abundance to vary between $\sim0.9-1.6\%$ through conversion with previously measured D/H values. A global value of CH$_4=1.15\%$ was retrieved, lending further evidence to the temporal and spatial variability of Titan's stratospheric methane when compared with previous measurements. Additional observations are required to determine the cause and magnitude of stratospheric enhancements in methane during these poorly understood seasons on Titan.