Question

Titan’s atmosphere contains a large amount of photosensitive methane. We knowbecause of basic physics and chemistry that there must be a source of methane onTitan that replenishes the atmospheric methane.

a) Describe what astronomers thought might be occurring on Titan before the Cassini/Huygensmission.

b) Describe the findings of the Cassini/Huygens mission that either supported or dis-proved the original hypotheses

Answer 1

We know that, Titan’s atmosphere which contains a large amount of photosensitive methane.

(a) Describe what astronomers thought might be occurring on Titan before the Cassini/Huygensmission.

"Cassini-Huygens" revealed Titan to be one of the most Earth-like worlds we have encountered and shed light on the history of our home planet. Cassini’s long mission enabled us to observe weather and seasonal changes on another planet. He showed us the complexity of Saturn’s rings and the dramatic processes operating within them. He represented a staggering achievement of human and technical complexity, finding innovative ways to use the spacecraft.

Before the mission ended, Cassini’s was an already powerful influence on future exploration.

Titan is an especially interesting target for an exploration because the organic chemistry now taking place. They provides the only planetary-scale laboratory for studying processes that may have been important in the prebiotic terrestrial atmosphere.