Plastic ingredient found in Titan's atmosphere
Posted: Tue, Oct 1, 2013, 7:42 AM ET (1142 GMT)
Scientists announced Monday that they have discovered a chemical commonly used in plastics in the atmosphere of Saturn's moon Titan. Researchers detected the presence of propylene in the moon's atmosphere in data from an infrared spectrometer on the Cassini spacecraft. On Earth, propylene is combined in long chains to form polypropylene, a plastic commonly used a wide variety of items. Many other hydrocarbons had been detected on Titan, but propylene had evaded detection until now because of a weak spectral signature.
Scientists announced Monday that they have discovered a chemical commonly used in plastics in the atmosphere of Saturn's moon Titan. Researchers detected the presence of propylene in the moon's atmosphere in data from an infrared spectrometer on the Cassini spacecraft. On Earth, propylene is combined in long chains to form polypropylene, a plastic commonly used a wide variety of items. Many other hydrocarbons had been detected on Titan, but propylene had evaded detection until now because of a weak spectral signature.
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