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arXiv · 2610.17564

Elastic Properties of Titan Tholins Revealed by Brillouin Spectroscopy

Mark A. Johnson·Jose R. Montes-Bojorquez·Adis Husic·Xinting Yu·Wenhao Su·Jia-Sen Hu·Ryan Blase·Edward Patrick·Alan Whittington·Jin S. Zhang
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Abstract

Titan tholins, complex organic solids synthesized by simulating photochemical processes in Titan's atmosphere, are widely regarded as analogs to organic surface materials on the Saturnian moon. Their mechanical properties are critical for understanding the evolution of Titan's geomorphology and crustal layering. Here, we report the first direct experimental determination of the complete set of aggregate elastic moduli of tholins using Brillouin spectroscopy. Measurements conducted on tholin powder samples yielded a bulk modulus of 11 (2) GPa and a shear modulus of 3.9 (5) GPa, from which we derive a Young's modulus of 11 (1) GPa and a Poisson's ratio of 0.34 (3). Thin-film samples synthesized under slightly different conditions yield similar results. Compared with other Titan-relevant organic compounds, tholins exhibit the highest elastic stiffness measured to date, exceeding even H2O ice in both bulk and shear moduli. These results support the interpretation that complex organics contribute significantly to the mechanical stability and transport behavior of Titan's equatorial dune sediments. Measurements following prolonged atmospheric exposure reveal persistent stiffening of tholins that remains after vacuum treatment, likely associated with minor chemical modification and physical reorganization, highlighting the importance of controlled sample handling for future laboratory investigations. This study also demonstrates the effectiveness of Brillouin spectroscopy as a non-destructive technique for characterizing planetary organic materials and provides new constraints relevant to future seismic and geophysical investigations by the Dragonfly mission.

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Mark A. Johnson, Jose R. Montes-Bojorquez, Adis Husic, Xinting Yu, Wenhao Su, Jia-Sen Hu, Ryan Blase, Edward Patrick, Alan Whittington, Jin S. Zhang. 2026-10-13. Elastic Properties of Titan Tholins Revealed by Brillouin Spectroscopy. https://doi.org/10.1029/2026je009914

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