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I.C.F. Mueller-Wodarg (C.S.P., Boston University and A.P.L., University College London), R.V. Yelle (Northern Arizona University), M. Mendillo (C.S.P., Boston University), A.D. Aylward (A.P.L., University College London)
Voyager observations of Titan's upper atmosphere have suggested a high homopause altitude of around 1000 km, with an eddy coefficient greater than 108 cm2/sec. This information has been used in several 1-dimensional chemistry models of Titan's upper atmosphere.
We have implemented self-consistent 3-constituent diffusion in our global time-dependent model of Titan's thermosphere and present results of the first 3-dimensional calculations of Titan's thermospheric neutral composition. By considering the dynamics we derive how much of the mixing is due to small scale eddies, represented by the eddy cofficient, and how much is caused by large scale mixing due to global circulation. We will discuss the influence of dynamics on the vertical and horizontal distribution of major constituents in Titan's thermosphere and relate this to the observations.
The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: ingo@apg.ph.ucl.ac.uk