Experimental Simulation of the Volatile Hydrocarbons Generated by the Long-UV Photoprocessing of (C₆H₆) Ices with Relevance to Titan's Southern Stratospheric Ice Clouds

Abstract Ice clouds containing benzene (C 6 H ) have recently been detected in the stratosphere at south pole of Titan. Their subsequent aging process induced by long-UV solar photons could lead to a photoreactivity that may release some volatile organic compounds gas phase. The characterization this fraction coming from photoprocessing ( λ > 230 nm) such icy C has characterized chromatograph coupled mass spectrometer. Complex molecular diversity is observed through identification 3 8 photoproducts, which belong alkane, alkene, and alkyne families aromatic derivatives. Thereafter, these hydrocarbons will potentially be transported down surface, as condensed ices. Because energy UV decrease with altitude, most solid-state not photochemically degraded contribute end layer covers Titan’s surface. As materials would probed DraMS, spectrometer on board future Dragonfly mission, analyses serve benchmarks for molecule detection