NATS 1570 Maxim Iassinovski

Connection Between Huygens Probe/Mission and Course Content

Atmospheric Layers
Throughout the course, we have learned about the numerous different atmospheric layers
that may be found on planets with a gravitational pull that is strong enough to sustain it. We
learned that on Earth, there exist a few key layers: the troposphere, the stratosphere, the ozone
layer, the mesosphere and the thermosphere. Data from the Huygens mission has indicated
that Titan has some differences in its atmosphere. Titan’s atmosphere consists of the
troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere and thermosphere.

Composition of gases
Every planet has its own unique characteristics. Atmospheric gases are no exception.
However, learning the atmospheric gas composition of a moon or planet can allow us to better
understand the processes that occur on the object and help us draw similarities/differences
among them with our own planet. In the lectures, we learned about Earth’s gas composition and
certain phenomena that these gases may play a role in such as the greenhouse effect and the
coriolis force. Data from the Huygens mission indicated that while the presence of Nitrogen is
quite similar between Earth and Titan, Earth has a relatively high presence of oxygen, while
Titan doesn’t. In contrast, Titan has a larger presence of methane than Earth.

Possibility of cryovolcanoes
Through lectures, we learned that cryovolcanoes are a type of volcano that function
similarly to regular volcanoes under freezing conditions. We learned that cryovolcanoes erupt
water, ammonia or methane into the atmosphere. Throughout my research on Titan, I’ve found
that scientists continue to look for evidence where this methane comes from, and
cryovolcanoes remain as a possibility.
 NATS 1570 Maxim Iassinovski

Works Cited

“Layers of Titan.” NASA, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/multimedia/titan20120223L.html.

Accessed 28 Oct. 2021.

Filmer, Joshua. “Which Moons Have Atmospheres?” Futurism, 21 June 2014,

futurism.com/the-atmospheres-on-our-moons.

Chu, Jennifer. “History of Titan’s Landscape Resembles That of Mars, Not Earth: Rivers on Three
Worlds Tell Different Tales.” ScienceDaily, 18 May 2017,
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170518143817.htm.

“Huygens.” NASA Solar System Exploration, solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/huygens/in-depth.

Accessed 28 Oct. 2021.

“Science Highlights from Huygens: #1. Profiling the Atmosphere of Titan.” European Space Agency,
sci.esa.int/web/cassini-huygens/-/55222-science-highlights-from-huygens-1-profiling-the-atmo
sphere-of-titan. Accessed 31 Dec. 2021.

“Science Highlights from Huygens: #3. Methane Mystery.” European Space Agnecy,
sci.esa.int/web/cassini-huygens/-/55224-science-highlights-from-huygens-3-methane-mystery.
Accessed 31 Dec. 2021.

“Huygens.” NASA Solar System Exploration, solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/huygens/in-depth.

Accessed 31 Dec. 2021.