CraigS
10-08-2010, 05:04 PM
Hi All;
Following the SBS/BBC Doco on Titan last night, some interesting scientific issues/history were stirred up for me relating to the geological makeup and chemistry of the surface and atmosphere. Let me explain with some info from Wiki (for expedience):
"The Stratosphere of Titan is largely composed of nitrogen (98.4%), methane (1.4%) and hydrogen (0.1-0.2%); minor components lead to the formation of methane and ethane clouds and nitrogen-rich organic smog ... With its liquids (both surface and subsurface) and robust nitrogen atmosphere, Titan is viewed as analogous to the early Earth, although at a much lower temperature. The satellite has thus been cited as a possible host for microbial extraterrestrial life or, at least, as a prebiotic environment rich in complex organic chemistry."
Life on Titan ? Perhaps, .. maybe not, also.
But the interesting issue for me is the presence of the surface hydrocarbons.
"Based on Cassini observations, scientists announced "definitive evidence" of lakes filled with methane on Saturn's moon Titan" in January 2007.... In June 2008, the Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer on Cassini confirmed the presence of liquid ethane, beyond doubt, in Ontario Lacus".
"Many astronomers have suggested that the ultimate origin for the methane in Titan's atmosphere is from within Titan itself, released via eruptions from cryovolcanoes. A possible biological origin for the methane has not been discounted."
So, back in the 70’s a competing theory to the biological fossil origins of our beloved petroleum, was being proposed by Thomas Gold, an Austrian-born astrophysicist, a professor of astronomy at Cornell University. The theory was called the ‘Abiogenic origins of Petroleum’. Gold is now somewhat discredited for this, but he did do a lot of heavy, legitimate science behind this theory. Some of his other theories got a little wild towards the end of his life (in 2004) and some argue that he may have falsified evidence.
“The abiogenic hypothesis argues that petroleum was formed from deep carbon deposits, perhaps dating to the formation of the Earth. The presence of methane on Saturn's moon, Titan, is cited as evidence supporting the formation of hydrocarbons without biology. (ie: fossils). Supporters of the abiogenic hypothesis suggest that a great deal more petroleum exists on Earth than commonly thought, and that petroleum may originate from carbon-bearing fluids that migrate upward from the mantle.
I should add that:
“Although the abiogenic hypothesis was accepted by some geologists in the former Soviet Union, most geologists now consider the abiogenic formation of petroleum scientifically unsupported. Although evidence exists for abiogenic formation of methane and hydrocarbon gases within the Earth, studies indicate they are not produced in commercially significant quantities (i.e. a median abiogenic hydrocarbon content in extracted hydrocarbon gases of 0.02%). The abiogenic origin of petroleum has also recently been reviewed in detail by some scientists, who raise a number of objections, including that there is no direct evidence to date of abiogenic petroleum (liquid crude oil and long-chain hydrocarbon compounds)”,
.. although abiogenesis does result in compounds very close to what we call ‘petroleum’.
Whilst I’m certainly not a devotee of Abiogenetic origins of petroleum or of Gold, it is interesting to note the unfolding similarities between this scientifically based theory, and the makeup of Titan.
This post is only discussion/awareness raising purposes only .. I’m not religious about any particular theory about the origins of anything. - The program just made me think a bit more.
Cheers to all. :)
Following the SBS/BBC Doco on Titan last night, some interesting scientific issues/history were stirred up for me relating to the geological makeup and chemistry of the surface and atmosphere. Let me explain with some info from Wiki (for expedience):
"The Stratosphere of Titan is largely composed of nitrogen (98.4%), methane (1.4%) and hydrogen (0.1-0.2%); minor components lead to the formation of methane and ethane clouds and nitrogen-rich organic smog ... With its liquids (both surface and subsurface) and robust nitrogen atmosphere, Titan is viewed as analogous to the early Earth, although at a much lower temperature. The satellite has thus been cited as a possible host for microbial extraterrestrial life or, at least, as a prebiotic environment rich in complex organic chemistry."
Life on Titan ? Perhaps, .. maybe not, also.
But the interesting issue for me is the presence of the surface hydrocarbons.
"Based on Cassini observations, scientists announced "definitive evidence" of lakes filled with methane on Saturn's moon Titan" in January 2007.... In June 2008, the Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer on Cassini confirmed the presence of liquid ethane, beyond doubt, in Ontario Lacus".
"Many astronomers have suggested that the ultimate origin for the methane in Titan's atmosphere is from within Titan itself, released via eruptions from cryovolcanoes. A possible biological origin for the methane has not been discounted."
So, back in the 70’s a competing theory to the biological fossil origins of our beloved petroleum, was being proposed by Thomas Gold, an Austrian-born astrophysicist, a professor of astronomy at Cornell University. The theory was called the ‘Abiogenic origins of Petroleum’. Gold is now somewhat discredited for this, but he did do a lot of heavy, legitimate science behind this theory. Some of his other theories got a little wild towards the end of his life (in 2004) and some argue that he may have falsified evidence.
“The abiogenic hypothesis argues that petroleum was formed from deep carbon deposits, perhaps dating to the formation of the Earth. The presence of methane on Saturn's moon, Titan, is cited as evidence supporting the formation of hydrocarbons without biology. (ie: fossils). Supporters of the abiogenic hypothesis suggest that a great deal more petroleum exists on Earth than commonly thought, and that petroleum may originate from carbon-bearing fluids that migrate upward from the mantle.
I should add that:
“Although the abiogenic hypothesis was accepted by some geologists in the former Soviet Union, most geologists now consider the abiogenic formation of petroleum scientifically unsupported. Although evidence exists for abiogenic formation of methane and hydrocarbon gases within the Earth, studies indicate they are not produced in commercially significant quantities (i.e. a median abiogenic hydrocarbon content in extracted hydrocarbon gases of 0.02%). The abiogenic origin of petroleum has also recently been reviewed in detail by some scientists, who raise a number of objections, including that there is no direct evidence to date of abiogenic petroleum (liquid crude oil and long-chain hydrocarbon compounds)”,
.. although abiogenesis does result in compounds very close to what we call ‘petroleum’.
Whilst I’m certainly not a devotee of Abiogenetic origins of petroleum or of Gold, it is interesting to note the unfolding similarities between this scientifically based theory, and the makeup of Titan.
This post is only discussion/awareness raising purposes only .. I’m not religious about any particular theory about the origins of anything. - The program just made me think a bit more.
Cheers to all. :)