DOI: 10.1126/science.222.4629.1229. Ethane Ocean on Titan

10.1126/science.222.4629.1229

Crossref journal-article

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Science (221)

Abstract

It is proposed that Saturn's satellite Titan is covered by an ocean one to several kilometers deep consisting mainly of ethane. If the ocean is in thermodynamic equilibrium with an atmosphere of 3 percent (mole fraction) methane, then its composition is roughly 70 percent ethane, 25 percent methane, and 5 percent nitrogen. Photochemical models predict that ethane is the dominant end product of methane photolysis so that the evolving ocean is both the source and sink for continuing photolysis. The coexisting atmosphere is compatible with Voyager data.

Bibliography

Lunine, J. I., Stevenson, D. J., & Yung, Y. L. (1983). Ethane Ocean on Titan. Science, 222(4629), 1229â1230.

Authors 3

Jonathan I. Lunine (first)
David J. Stevenson (additional)
Yuk L. Yung (additional)

References 34 Referenced 299

ALLEN, M, TITAN - AEROSOL PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND VARIATIONS RELATED TO THE SUNSPOT CYCLE, ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL 242: L125 (1980). (10.1086/183416) / ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL (1980)
AMAMCHYAN, R.G., T VSES NAUCHN ISSLED 10: 150 (1965). / T VSES NAUCHN ISSLED (1965)
BARNUN, A, PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF HYDROCARBONS IN TITANS ATMOSPHERE, ICARUS 38: 115 (1979). (10.1016/0019-1035(79)90091-5) / ICARUS (1979)
CHANG, S, ORGANIC-CHEMISTRY ON TITAN, REVIEWS OF GEOPHYSICS 17: 1923 (1979). (10.1029/RG017i008p01923) / REVIEWS OF GEOPHYSICS (1979)
CHANG, S. D., CHEMICAL ENGINEERING PROGRESS SYMPOSIUM SERIES 63: 18 (1967). / CHEMICAL ENGINEERING PROGRESS SYMPOSIUM SERIES (1967)
CHEUNG, H, SOLUBILITY OF VOLATILE GASES IN HYDROCARBON SOLVENTS AT CRYOGENIC TEMPERATURES, INDUSTRIAL & ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY FUNDAMENTALS 3: 355 (1964). (10.1021/i160012a014) / INDUSTRIAL & ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY FUNDAMENTALS (1964)
COURTIN, R, THE SPECTRUM OF TITAN IN THE FAR-INFRARED AND MICROWAVE REGIONS, ICARUS 51: 466 (1982). (10.1016/0019-1035(82)90140-3) / ICARUS (1982)
Ellington, R. T., Thermodynamic and Transport Properties of Gases, Liquids and Solids: 180 (1959). / Thermodynamic and Transport Properties of Gases, Liquids and Solids (1959)
10.1126/science.221.4605.53
Science News 124:28 (1983). / Science News (1983)
10.1126/science.221.4605.55
GOODWIN, R.D., U.S. NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS TECHNICAL NOTE 653: 136 (1974). / U.S. NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS TECHNICAL NOTE (1974)
GOODWIN, R.D., U.S. NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS TECHNICAL NOTE 684: 64 (1976). / U.S. NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS TECHNICAL NOTE (1976)
GUPTA, S, ORGANIC-SYNTHESIS IN THE ATMOSPHERE OF TITAN, NATURE 293: 725 (1981). (10.1038/293725a0) / NATURE (1981)
10.1126/science.212.4491.192
Houghton, J. T., Physics of Atmospheres: 19 (1977). / Physics of Atmospheres (1977)
JACOBSEN, R.T., JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL REFERENCE DATA 2: 757 (1973). (10.1063/1.3253132) / JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL REFERENCE DATA (1973)
LASAGA, A.C., PRIMORDIAL OIL SLICK, SCIENCE 174: 53 (1971). (10.1126/science.174.4004.53) / SCIENCE (1971)
10.1016/0019-1035(83)90155-0
10.1126/science.220.4604.1374
MILLER, R.C., Excess Enthalpies for Some Binary Liquid Mixtures of Low-Molecular-Weight Alkanes, ADVANCES IN CRYOGENIC ENGINEERING 21: 493 (1976). / ADVANCES IN CRYOGENIC ENGINEERING / Excess Enthalpies for Some Binary Liquid Mixtures of Low-Molecular-Weight Alkanes (1976)
OKABE, H, PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF ACETYLENE AT 1470 A, JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS 75: 2772 (1981). (10.1063/1.442348) / JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS (1981)
OKABE, H, PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF ACETYLENE AT 1849-A, JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS 78: 1312 (1983). (10.1063/1.444868) / JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS (1983)
PAVESE, F, SOME THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF ETHANE BETWEEN ITS DOUBLE SOLID-TO-SOLID TRANSITION AND ITS TRIPLE-POINT TEMPERATURE, JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL THERMODYNAMICS 10: 369 (1978). (10.1016/0021-9614(78)90070-8) / JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL THERMODYNAMICS (1978)
PRAUSNITZ, J.M., IND ENG CHEM PROCESS 9: 264 (1970). (10.1021/i260034a017) / IND ENG CHEM PROCESS (1970)
Prausnitz, J. M., Molecular Thermodynamics of Fluid-Phase Equilibria: 373 (1969). / Molecular Thermodynamics of Fluid-Phase Equilibria (1969)
10.1038/300731a0
SAMUELSON, R.E., RADIATIVE EQUILIBRIUM-MODEL OF TITANS ATMOSPHERE, ICARUS 53: 364 (1983). (10.1016/0019-1035(83)90156-2) / ICARUS (1983)
SCATTERGOOD, T, SOURCES OF UV ABSORPTION IN SPECTRA OF TITAN AND OUTER PLANETS, ICARUS 30: 780 (1977). (10.1016/0019-1035(77)90095-1) / ICARUS (1977)
10.1016/0019-1035(74)90149-3
STROBEL, D.F., PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF HYDROCARBONS IN JOVIAN ATMOSPHERE, JOURNAL OF THE ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES 30: 489 (1973). (10.1175/1520-0469(1973)030<0489:TPOHIT>2.0.CO;2) / JOURNAL OF THE ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES (1973)
Yung, Y. L., Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series 55: 465 (1984). (10.1086/190963) / Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series (1984)
Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics 87 A3 (1982).
Nature 292:675 (1981). (10.1038/292675a0) / Nature (1981)

Dates

Type	When
Created	18 years, 10 months ago (Oct. 5, 2006, 2:37 p.m.)
Deposited	1 year, 7 months ago (Jan. 12, 2024, 4:41 a.m.)
Indexed	4 weeks, 1 day ago (Aug. 3, 2025, 12:24 a.m.)
Issued	41 years, 8 months ago (Dec. 16, 1983)
Published	41 years, 8 months ago (Dec. 16, 1983)
Published Print	41 years, 8 months ago (Dec. 16, 1983)

Funders 0

None

BibTeX

@article{Lunine_1983, title={Ethane Ocean on Titan}, volume={222}, ISSN={1095-9203}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.222.4629.1229}, DOI={10.1126/science.222.4629.1229}, number={4629}, journal={Science}, publisher={American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)}, author={Lunine, Jonathan I. and Stevenson, David J. and Yung, Yuk L.}, year={1983}, month=dec, pages={1229–1230} }

JSON

{
  "indexed": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2025,
        8,
        3
      ]
    ],
    "date-time": "2025-08-03T04:24:46Z",
    "timestamp": 1754195086171
  },
  "reference-count": 34,
  "publisher": "American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)",
  "issue": "4629",
  "content-domain": {
    "domain": [],
    "crossmark-restriction": false
  },
  "published-print": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        1983,
        12,
        16
      ]
    ]
  },
  "abstract": "<jats:p>It is proposed that Saturn's satellite Titan is covered by an ocean one to several kilometers deep consisting mainly of ethane. If the ocean is in thermodynamic equilibrium with an atmosphere of 3 percent (mole fraction) methane, then its composition is roughly 70 percent ethane, 25 percent methane, and 5 percent nitrogen. Photochemical models predict that ethane is the dominant end product of methane photolysis so that the evolving ocean is both the source and sink for continuing photolysis. The coexisting atmosphere is compatible with Voyager data.</jats:p>",
  "DOI": "10.1126/science.222.4629.1229",
  "type": "journal-article",
  "created": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2006,
        10,
        5
      ]
    ],
    "date-time": "2006-10-05T18:37:18Z",
    "timestamp": 1160073438000
  },
  "page": "1229-1230",
  "source": "Crossref",
  "is-referenced-by-count": 299,
  "title": "Ethane Ocean on Titan",
  "prefix": "10.1126",
  "volume": "222",
  "author": [
    {
      "given": "Jonathan I.",
      "family": "Lunine",
      "sequence": "first",
      "affiliation": [
        {
          "name": "Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena 91125"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "given": "David J.",
      "family": "Stevenson",
      "sequence": "additional",
      "affiliation": [
        {
          "name": "Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena 91125"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "given": "Yuk L.",
      "family": "Yung",
      "sequence": "additional",
      "affiliation": [
        {
          "name": "Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena 91125"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "member": "221",
  "reference": [
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_1_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "L125",
      "DOI": "10.1086/183416",
      "volume": "242",
      "year": "1980",
      "unstructured": "ALLEN, M, TITAN - AEROSOL PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND VARIATIONS RELATED TO THE SUNSPOT CYCLE, ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL 242: L125 (1980).",
      "journal-title": "ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_2_1",
      "first-page": "150",
      "volume": "10",
      "year": "1965",
      "unstructured": "AMAMCHYAN, R.G., T VSES NAUCHN ISSLED 10: 150 (1965).",
      "journal-title": "T VSES NAUCHN ISSLED"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_3_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "115",
      "DOI": "10.1016/0019-1035(79)90091-5",
      "volume": "38",
      "year": "1979",
      "unstructured": "BARNUN, A, PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF HYDROCARBONS IN TITANS ATMOSPHERE, ICARUS 38: 115 (1979).",
      "journal-title": "ICARUS"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_4_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "1923",
      "DOI": "10.1029/RG017i008p01923",
      "volume": "17",
      "year": "1979",
      "unstructured": "CHANG, S, ORGANIC-CHEMISTRY ON TITAN, REVIEWS OF GEOPHYSICS 17: 1923 (1979).",
      "journal-title": "REVIEWS OF GEOPHYSICS"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_5_1",
      "first-page": "18",
      "volume": "63",
      "year": "1967",
      "unstructured": "CHANG, S. D., CHEMICAL ENGINEERING PROGRESS SYMPOSIUM SERIES 63: 18 (1967).",
      "journal-title": "CHEMICAL ENGINEERING PROGRESS SYMPOSIUM SERIES"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_6_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "355",
      "DOI": "10.1021/i160012a014",
      "volume": "3",
      "year": "1964",
      "unstructured": "CHEUNG, H, SOLUBILITY OF VOLATILE GASES IN HYDROCARBON SOLVENTS AT CRYOGENIC TEMPERATURES, INDUSTRIAL & ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY FUNDAMENTALS 3: 355 (1964).",
      "journal-title": "INDUSTRIAL & ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY FUNDAMENTALS"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_7_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "466",
      "DOI": "10.1016/0019-1035(82)90140-3",
      "volume": "51",
      "year": "1982",
      "unstructured": "COURTIN, R, THE SPECTRUM OF TITAN IN THE FAR-INFRARED AND MICROWAVE REGIONS, ICARUS 51: 466 (1982).",
      "journal-title": "ICARUS"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_8_1",
      "first-page": "180",
      "year": "1959",
      "unstructured": "Ellington, R. T., Thermodynamic and Transport Properties of Gases, Liquids and Solids: 180 (1959).",
      "journal-title": "Thermodynamic and Transport Properties of Gases, Liquids and Solids"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_9_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1126/science.221.4605.53"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_10_1",
      "first-page": "28",
      "volume": "124",
      "year": "1983",
      "unstructured": "Science News 124:28 (1983).",
      "journal-title": "Science News"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_11_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1126/science.221.4605.55"
    },
    {
      "issue": "653",
      "key": "e_1_2_1_12_1",
      "first-page": "136",
      "year": "1974",
      "unstructured": "GOODWIN, R.D., U.S. NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS TECHNICAL NOTE 653: 136 (1974).",
      "journal-title": "U.S. NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS TECHNICAL NOTE"
    },
    {
      "issue": "684",
      "key": "e_1_2_1_13_1",
      "first-page": "64",
      "year": "1976",
      "unstructured": "GOODWIN, R.D., U.S. NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS TECHNICAL NOTE 684: 64 (1976).",
      "journal-title": "U.S. NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS TECHNICAL NOTE"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_14_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "725",
      "DOI": "10.1038/293725a0",
      "volume": "293",
      "year": "1981",
      "unstructured": "GUPTA, S, ORGANIC-SYNTHESIS IN THE ATMOSPHERE OF TITAN, NATURE 293: 725 (1981).",
      "journal-title": "NATURE"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_15_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1126/science.212.4491.192"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_16_1",
      "first-page": "19",
      "year": "1977",
      "unstructured": "Houghton, J. T., Physics of Atmospheres: 19 (1977).",
      "journal-title": "Physics of Atmospheres"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_17_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "757",
      "DOI": "10.1063/1.3253132",
      "volume": "2",
      "year": "1973",
      "unstructured": "JACOBSEN, R.T., JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL REFERENCE DATA 2: 757 (1973).",
      "journal-title": "JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL REFERENCE DATA"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_18_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "53",
      "DOI": "10.1126/science.174.4004.53",
      "volume": "174",
      "year": "1971",
      "unstructured": "LASAGA, A.C., PRIMORDIAL OIL SLICK, SCIENCE 174: 53 (1971).",
      "journal-title": "SCIENCE"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_19_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1016/0019-1035(83)90155-0"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_20_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1126/science.220.4604.1374"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_21_1",
      "first-page": "493",
      "article-title": "Excess Enthalpies for Some Binary Liquid Mixtures of Low-Molecular-Weight Alkanes",
      "volume": "21",
      "year": "1976",
      "unstructured": "MILLER, R.C., Excess Enthalpies for Some Binary Liquid Mixtures of Low-Molecular-Weight Alkanes, ADVANCES IN CRYOGENIC ENGINEERING 21: 493 (1976).",
      "journal-title": "ADVANCES IN CRYOGENIC ENGINEERING"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_22_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "2772",
      "DOI": "10.1063/1.442348",
      "volume": "75",
      "year": "1981",
      "unstructured": "OKABE, H, PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF ACETYLENE AT 1470 A, JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS 75: 2772 (1981).",
      "journal-title": "JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_23_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "1312",
      "DOI": "10.1063/1.444868",
      "volume": "78",
      "year": "1983",
      "unstructured": "OKABE, H, PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF ACETYLENE AT 1849-A, JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS 78: 1312 (1983).",
      "journal-title": "JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_24_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "369",
      "DOI": "10.1016/0021-9614(78)90070-8",
      "volume": "10",
      "year": "1978",
      "unstructured": "PAVESE, F, SOME THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF ETHANE BETWEEN ITS DOUBLE SOLID-TO-SOLID TRANSITION AND ITS TRIPLE-POINT TEMPERATURE, JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL THERMODYNAMICS 10: 369 (1978).",
      "journal-title": "JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL THERMODYNAMICS"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_25_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "264",
      "DOI": "10.1021/i260034a017",
      "volume": "9",
      "year": "1970",
      "unstructured": "PRAUSNITZ, J.M., IND ENG CHEM PROCESS 9: 264 (1970).",
      "journal-title": "IND ENG CHEM PROCESS"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_26_1",
      "first-page": "373",
      "year": "1969",
      "unstructured": "Prausnitz, J. M., Molecular Thermodynamics of Fluid-Phase Equilibria: 373 (1969).",
      "journal-title": "Molecular Thermodynamics of Fluid-Phase Equilibria"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_27_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1038/300731a0"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_28_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "364",
      "DOI": "10.1016/0019-1035(83)90156-2",
      "volume": "53",
      "year": "1983",
      "unstructured": "SAMUELSON, R.E., RADIATIVE EQUILIBRIUM-MODEL OF TITANS ATMOSPHERE, ICARUS 53: 364 (1983).",
      "journal-title": "ICARUS"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_29_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "780",
      "DOI": "10.1016/0019-1035(77)90095-1",
      "volume": "30",
      "year": "1977",
      "unstructured": "SCATTERGOOD, T, SOURCES OF UV ABSORPTION IN SPECTRA OF TITAN AND OUTER PLANETS, ICARUS 30: 780 (1977).",
      "journal-title": "ICARUS"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_30_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1016/0019-1035(74)90149-3"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_31_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "489",
      "DOI": "10.1175/1520-0469(1973)030<0489:TPOHIT>2.0.CO;2",
      "volume": "30",
      "year": "1973",
      "unstructured": "STROBEL, D.F., PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF HYDROCARBONS IN JOVIAN ATMOSPHERE, JOURNAL OF THE ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES 30: 489 (1973).",
      "journal-title": "JOURNAL OF THE ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_32_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "465",
      "DOI": "10.1086/190963",
      "volume": "55",
      "year": "1984",
      "unstructured": "Yung, Y. L., Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series 55: 465 (1984).",
      "journal-title": "Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_33_1",
      "unstructured": "Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics 87 A3 (1982)."
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_34_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "675",
      "DOI": "10.1038/292675a0",
      "volume": "292",
      "year": "1981",
      "unstructured": "Nature 292:675 (1981).",
      "journal-title": "Nature"
    }
  ],
  "container-title": "Science",
  "original-title": [],
  "language": "en",
  "link": [
    {
      "URL": "https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.222.4629.1229",
      "content-type": "unspecified",
      "content-version": "vor",
      "intended-application": "similarity-checking"
    }
  ],
  "deposited": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2024,
        1,
        12
      ]
    ],
    "date-time": "2024-01-12T09:41:36Z",
    "timestamp": 1705052496000
  },
  "score": 1,
  "resource": {
    "primary": {
      "URL": "https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.222.4629.1229"
    }
  },
  "subtitle": [],
  "short-title": [],
  "issued": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        1983,
        12,
        16
      ]
    ]
  },
  "references-count": 34,
  "journal-issue": {
    "issue": "4629",
    "published-print": {
      "date-parts": [
        [
          1983,
          12,
          16
        ]
      ]
    }
  },
  "alternative-id": [
    "10.1126/science.222.4629.1229"
  ],
  "URL": "http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.222.4629.1229",
  "relation": {},
  "ISSN": [
    "0036-8075",
    "1095-9203"
  ],
  "subject": [],
  "container-title-short": "Science",
  "published": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        1983,
        12,
        16
      ]
    ]
  }
}