${}^{14}$N/${}^{15}$N isotopic ratio in CH${}_3$CN of Titan's atmosphere measured with ALMA

Abstract

Each of the nitriles present in the atmosphere of Titan can be expected to exhibit different \ce{^{14}N/^{15}N} values depending on their production processes, primarily because of the various \ce{N2} dissociation processes induced by different sources such as ultraviolet radiation, magnetospheric electrons, and galactic cosmic rays. For \ce{CH3CN}, one photochemical model predicted a \ce{^{14}N/^{15}N} value as 120--130 in the lower stratosphere. This is much higher than that for \ce{HCN} and \ce{HC3N}, $\sim$67--94. By analyzing archival data obtained by the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), we successfully detected submillimeter rotational transitions of \ce{CH3C^{15}N} ($J$ = 19--18) locate at the 338 GHz band in Titan's atmospheric spectra. By comparing those observations with the simultaneously observed \ce{CH3CN} ($J$ = 19--18) lines at the 349 GHz band, which probe from 160 to $\sim$400 km altitude, we then derived \ce{^{14}N/^{15}N} in \ce{CH3CN} as 125${}_{-44}^{+145}$. Although the range of the derived value shows insufficient accuracy due to data quality limitations, the best-fit value suggests that \ce{^{14}N/^{15}N} for \ce{CH3CN} is higher than values that have been previously observed and theoretically predicted for \ce{HCN} and \ce{HC3N}. This may be explained by the different \ce{N2} dissociation sources according to the altitudes, as suggested by a recent photochemical model.

arXiv commentTo be published in ApJ

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