Titan: Earth-like on the Outside, Ocean World on the Inside

MacKenzie, Shannon; Birch, S.; Hörst, Sarah M.; Sotin, C.; Barth, Erika L.; Lora, Juan M.; Trainer, M. G.; Corlies, P.; Malaska, Michael J.; Sciamma-O’Brien, Ella; Thelen, Alexander; Turtle, E. P.; Radebaugh, Jani; Hanley, J.; Solomonidou, Anezina; Newmann, Claire; Regoli, Leonardo; Rodríguez, S.; Seignovert, Benoît; Hayes, A. G.; Journaux, Baptiste; Steckloff, Jordan K.; Nna-Mvondo, Delphine; Cornet, T.; Palmer, Maureen; Lopes, R. M. C.; Vinatier, Sandrine; Lorenz, R. D.; Nixon, C. A.; Czaplinski, Ellen; Barnes, Jason W.; Sittler, E. C.; Coates, A. J.

doi:10.3847/25c2cfeb.043eea88

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“…The Cassini‐Huygens mission revealed that Titan's low‐latitude surface presents a variety of landforms (Lopes et al., 2019; Lorenz et al., 2006; MacKenzie et al., 2021), including gigantic linear dunes similar in shape to those of the Namib desert (Lorenz and Zimbelman, 2014; Radebaugh et al., 2008, 2010). Analyses of Cassini spectral data, combined with atmospheric and radiative transfer modeling, have further revealed that Titan presents an active dust cycle (Charnay et al., 2015; Rodriguez et al., 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Titan’s Prevailing Circulation Might Drive Highly Intermittent, Yet Significant Sediment Transport

Comola

Kok

Lora

et al. 2022

Geophysical Research Letters

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Titan, the largest moon of Saturn, is characterized by gigantic linear dunes and an active dust cycle. Much like on Earth, these aeolian processes are caused by the wind‐driven saltation of surface grains. It is still unclear, however, how saltation on Titan can occur despite the typically weak surface winds and the potentially cohesive surface grains. Here, we explore the hypothesis that saltation on Titan may be sustained at lower wind speeds than previously thought, primarily through granular splash rather than aerodynamic lifting of surface grains. We propose a saltation mass flux parameterization for Titan and use it to quantify sediment transport with a general circulation model. The results suggest that Titan's prevailing circulation can generate highly intermittent yet significant saltation, with mass fluxes of the order of 104 kg m−1 year−1, and that Titan dunes may be formed primarily by fine grains, approximately 0.1 mm in size.

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