Photochemical Evolution of Condensed Organics in Titan’s Lower Atmosphere and on the Surface

International audienceFractionation of planetary systems is both interesting and puzzling. While the Jovian satellite Io seems to be enriched with sulfur and Europa and Ganymede with ice, Titan - the largest moon of Saturn is enriched with organics, and it is the third body in our solar system known to have significant atmosphere after Earth and Venus. Thus, Titan has at least two confirmed key ingradients for life as we know (energy and organics). Models suggest that Titan's interior is composed of fractionated rocks, minerals, and ice (water), making Titan's interior potentially habitable