Weird minerals discovered in simulated Titan environment
In recreating their best guess as to the conditions and environment of Saturn’s moon Titan, scientists have produced a number of weird never-before-seen minerals.
To create Titan-like conditions in the laboratory, the researchers started with a custom-built cryostat, an apparatus to keep things cold. They filled the cryostat with liquid nitrogen to bring the temperature down. They then warmed the chamber slightly, so the nitrogen turned to gas, which is mostly what Titan’s atmosphere contains. Next, they threw in what abounds on Titan, methane and ethane, as well as other carbon-containing molecules, and looked for what formed.
The first things to drop out of their Titan hydrocarbon soup were benzene crystals. Benzene is perhaps best known as a component of gasoline and is a snowflake-shaped molecule made out of a hexagonal ring of carbon atoms. But Titan benzene held a surprise: The molecules rearranged themselves and allowed ethane molecules inside, creating a co-crystal.
The researchers then discovered the acetylene and butane co-crystal, which is probably a lot more common on Titan than benzene crystals, based on what’s known about the moon’s composition, Cable said.
The scientists think that these crystals might be found on the edge of Titan’s methane lakes, encrusted there like a bathtub ring.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
In recreating their best guess as to the conditions and environment of Saturn’s moon Titan, scientists have produced a number of weird never-before-seen minerals.
To create Titan-like conditions in the laboratory, the researchers started with a custom-built cryostat, an apparatus to keep things cold. They filled the cryostat with liquid nitrogen to bring the temperature down. They then warmed the chamber slightly, so the nitrogen turned to gas, which is mostly what Titan’s atmosphere contains. Next, they threw in what abounds on Titan, methane and ethane, as well as other carbon-containing molecules, and looked for what formed.
The first things to drop out of their Titan hydrocarbon soup were benzene crystals. Benzene is perhaps best known as a component of gasoline and is a snowflake-shaped molecule made out of a hexagonal ring of carbon atoms. But Titan benzene held a surprise: The molecules rearranged themselves and allowed ethane molecules inside, creating a co-crystal.
The researchers then discovered the acetylene and butane co-crystal, which is probably a lot more common on Titan than benzene crystals, based on what’s known about the moon’s composition, Cable said.
The scientists think that these crystals might be found on the edge of Titan’s methane lakes, encrusted there like a bathtub ring.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Crystal growth is Very Cool !
In this case, following the link, it seems as if the ‘co-crystal’ is interstitial and not substitutional.
Either way, I would like to invest in this Lake Side Beach Front property.
We’re have a shortage of fossil fuels? We don’t have no stinkin’ shortage, not while we have Titan! I can see ExxonGulfBPAramco sending settlers to Titan to set up the ultimate service station for space ships needing gas…or even Space Tankers headed back to Earth with a million tons or so of fuel.
BTW, 1) Kekule claimed he was inspired by a dream of six carbon atoms holding hands and dancing to research if that was the structure of Benzene – it was, six atoms interlocked into a six sided ring 2) US Army’s Chemical Corps insignia is a Benzene Ring on Crossed Retorts https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_Corps#/media/File:Chemical_Branch_Insignia.svg
3) A similar structure to a Benzene Ring, but using Iron atoms instead of Carbon is known to chemists as a Ferrous Wheel
Q:
What is the gravity on Titan?
The Master of the overhead-projector, discusses crystalline symmetry—-
“Forbidden Crystal Symmetry”
Dr. Roger Penrose
Oxford Mathematics- 2012
https://youtu.be/7UZvFjXIpSk
55:01
“Aperiodic Geometry & Crystal Symmetry”
Dr. Roger Penrose
March 2006, Western Oregon University
https://youtu.be/eKjZ2W7eXlo
1:37:36