Neutral Aromatic Pathways Enhanced by EUV Irradiation in a Titan's Atmosphere Simulation Photochemical Experiment

In the atmosphere of Titan, Saturn's main satellite, molecular growth is initiated by a chemistry involving charged and free-radical species. However, the respective contribution of these species to the complexification of matter is far from being known. This work presents a chemical analysis by mass spectrometry at relatively low pressure to characterize the formation pathways of the first aromatics, notably benzene, by irradiating a mixture N 2 /CH 4 with EUV photons.