Dunes On Titan: Comparison Of The Fensal And Belet Dune Regions Using Multiple Datasets

Details Dunes On Titan: Comparison Of The Fensal And Belet Dune Regions Using Multiple Datasets Dunes On Titan: Comparison Of The Fensal And Belet Dune Regions Using Multiple Datasets

Oct 2010

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010dps....42.5502l&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #42, #55.02; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 42, p.1076

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

Scientific paper

Titan's equatorial belt hosts large expanses of longitudinal dunes. As the Cassini mission continues, more of them are unveiled by the microwave RADAR, both in the active and passive modes and with an increasing number of viewing geometries. These observations have revealed some variations among dune regions.
In particular, we find that the Belet and Fensal dune fields differ in terms of radar albedo and thermal emission. In this paper, we combine different datasets (SAR, radiometry, altimetry, scatterometry and SAR-derived topography) and compare them to an electromagnetic model in order to constrain the compositional and physical properties of the Belet and Fensal dunes. Differences between Fensal and Belet are well explained by various degrees of exposure of Titan's icy crust in the interdune regions (the troughs between the dunes). We find that a significant fraction of the Fensal interdunes must either be clear of sand, thus representing the dune substrate, or covered by icy gravels. This is consistent with VIMS spectra that show an enrichment in water ice in Fensal interdunes (Barnes et al., 2008). Furthermore, in many places in Fensal, dunes remain quite bright on SAR images suggesting that they are thin enough to allow waves to probe the substrate. Both interdune brightness and dune thinning point to the lack of available sediment supply in Fensal. In contrast, sand-sized particles seem abundant at Belet's location where the sand sheet is so thick that even the interdune flats appear radar-dark.
The difference in sand supply between Fensal and Belet may be due to different wind regime and/or ground humidity. It may also be related to their respective emplacement: Belet is laying in a deep depression and Fensal dunes encroach on Sinlap's fresh water-ice ejecta blanket. The paper will discuss further the origin of the regional variations among Titan dunes.

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