NASA NTRS1990
The atmospheres of many of the outer planets and their satellites contain a large number of hydrocarbon species. In particular, acetylene (C2H2) has been identified at Jupiter, Saturn and its satellite Titan, Uranus and Neptune. In the lower atmospheres of these planets, where colder temperatures prevail, the condensation and/or freezing of acetylene is probable. In order to obtain accurate models of the acetylene in these atmospheres, it is necessary to have a complete understanding of its vapor pressures at low temperatures. Vapor pressures at low temperatures for acetylene are being determined. The vapor pressures are measured with two different techniques in order to cover a wide range of temperatures and pressures. In the first, the acetylene is placed in a sample tube which is immersed in a low temperature solvent/liquid nitrogen slush bath whose temperature is measured with a thermocouple. The vapor pressure is then measured directly with a capacitance manometer. For lower pressures, a second technique which was called the thin-film infrared method (TFIR) was developed. It involves measuring the disappearance rate of a thin film of acetylene at a particular temperature. The spectra are then analyzed using previously determined extinction coefficient values, to determine the disappearance rate R (where R = delta n/delta t, the number of molecules that disappear per unit time). This can be related to the vapor pressure directly. This technique facilitates measurement of the lower temperatures and pressures. Both techniques have been calibrated using CO2, and have shown good agreement with the existing literature data.