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Performances under representative pressure and temperature conditions of the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry space experiment to investigate Titan's atmospheric composition
- Source :
- Journal of Chromatography A, Journal of Chromatography A, Elsevier, 2006, 1131 (1-2), pp.215-226. ⟨10.1016/j.chroma.2006.07.064⟩, Journal of Chromatography A, 2006, 1131 (1-2), pp.215-226. ⟨10.1016/j.chroma.2006.07.064⟩
- Publication Year :
- 2006
- Publisher :
- HAL CCSD, 2006.
-
Abstract
- In the frame of the calibration of the aerosol collector and pyrolyser, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry experiments of the Huygens probe arrived at Titan, systematic experimental studies were led to estimate the influence of the operating conditions on the analyses that should have been achieved in the Titan's atmosphere. The primary objective of this study was to estimate the influence of operating conditions variations induced by (i) instrumental modifications made shortly before the probe launch which can have changed the operating pressures; (ii) the change of the probe environmental conditions (pressure, temperature) during its descent in the atmosphere; (iii) a possible deviation of pressure and temperature regulations from their nominal values because of the long journey of the instrument in space, or of other external events. The secondary objective of this work was to create an analytical database that can be used as a reference to treat the chromatograms obtained in situ, and help to identify chromatographically the analyzed species, complementary to mass spectrometry. Beyond the application to a specific instrument, this work was also useful to experimentally estimate the fundamental evolution of the separation as a function of the changes of operating conditions with time. The obtained results show (i) the significant influence of inlet and outlet pressure variation on the time of analysis, but not on the separation power. It thus enables to significantly shorten the analysis duration, and thus to analyze more compounds within the fixed time of analysis of the instrument; (ii) the significant influence of temperature on the retention. In this frame, the enthalpies of exchange between the gas phase and the stationary phase of the species were determined to be used to retrieve the analyzed species in case of deviation of the operating temperature; (iii) that the possible aging of the columns does not have influence on the columns efficiency and separation power; (iv) the analytical capabilities of the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry experiment within operating conditions representative of those encountered in situ. Finally, in spite of possible operating condition changes, it is shown that results coming from the gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer experiment, which are currently under analysis, could bring important information on the Titan's atmosphere and its history.
- Subjects :
- Space gas chromatography
Titan’s atmosphere composition
Laboratory calibration
Operating conditions
Vacuum outlet
Experimental study
Extraterrestrial Environment
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences
Titan's atmosphere composition
Analytical chemistry
Mass spectrometry
01 natural sciences
Biochemistry
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
Analytical Chemistry
symbols.namesake
Operating temperature
0105 earth and related environmental sciences
[PHYS.PHYS.PHYS-AO-PH]Physics [physics]/Physics [physics]/Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics [physics.ao-ph]
geography
Chromatography
geography.geographical_feature_category
Spectrometer
Atmosphere
Chemistry
010401 analytical chemistry
Organic Chemistry
Temperature
Meteoroids
General Medicine
Mechanics
Inlet
0104 chemical sciences
Aerosol
Atmospheric Pressure
Saturn
13. Climate action
symbols
Gas chromatography
Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry
Titan (rocket family)
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00219673 and 18733778
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of Chromatography A, Journal of Chromatography A, Elsevier, 2006, 1131 (1-2), pp.215-226. ⟨10.1016/j.chroma.2006.07.064⟩, Journal of Chromatography A, 2006, 1131 (1-2), pp.215-226. ⟨10.1016/j.chroma.2006.07.064⟩
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....e32ce90be4b548b9568bb7e7349de50e
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chroma.2006.07.064⟩