The oceans of TitanSaturn’s largest moon, hides fascinating secrets that have been revealed thanks to the Cassini-Huygens mission. The probe’s radars have captured extraordinary details on the surface of hydrocarbon seas near Titan’s north pole.
A detailed observation of the hydrocarbon seas
The Cassini Missionsupported by NASA and the Italian Space Agency (ASI), has allowed scientists to observe surface ripples that they barely exceed 5 millimetres near coasts and estuaries. This discovery was made possible by bistatic radar data, which provided information from two independent perspectives.
The study, led by Italian engineer Valerio Rest them of Cornell University, revealed differences in the composition and roughness of sea surfaces depending on latitude and location. The observed seas (Kraken Mare, Ligeia Mare and Punga Mare) were mostly calm downwith surface waves no larger than 3.3 millimeters. However, near the coasts, the roughness increased slightly, probably due to tidal currents.
The composition of Titan’s seas
An interesting aspect that emerged from the study is that the rivers of pure methane that feed these seas mix with theethane present in open waters, creating a dynamic similar to that of freshwater rivers flowing into Earth’s salty oceans. “It’s like on Earth, when freshwater rivers mix with saltwater in the oceans,” explained Poggiali, a native of Genoa.
Bistatic radar observations, collected by Cassini during flybys in 2014 and 2016, allowed us to analyze and estimate the composition and surface roughness of the hydrocarbon seas on Titan.
What do you think about these discoveries about Titan’s seas? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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