Other
Scientific paper
Aug 2002
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2002icar..158..499t&link_type=abstract
Icarus, Volume 158, Issue 2, p. 499-515.
Other
49
Scientific paper
The influence of Saturn's gravitational tide on the atmosphere of Titan is investigated by means of a three-dimensional general circulation model. Titan's orbital eccentricity of 0.0292 gives rise to time-dependent radial and librational tide whose potential circles eastward on Titan. Unlike atmospheric tides on terrestrial planets, Saturn's tide on Titan has a large impact on the dynamic meteorology down to the surface. The surface pressure oscillates by up to 1.5 hPa through the orbit. Near the surface the tidal wind dominates the atmospheric flow and exhibits strong temporal and spatial variation. The superposition of the annually present, thermally forced latitudinal pressure gradient and tidally caused pressure variation produces a unique wind pattern near the surface characterized by equatorward flow and high-latitude whirls. At higher levels the tidal wind manifests itself as eastward traveling planetary-scale wave of wavenumber 2 superposed on the background wind. In general tidal winds are more significant in the troposphere, where other forcing mechanisms are weak. Meridional tidal winds become as fast as 5 m s-1 in the troposphere and change direction periodically through the orbit and along the parallel of latitude. Except in the lower troposphere, zonal winds always remain prograde because the tidal wind amplitude is usually smaller than the mean zonal wind. The tide also has a large impact on the mean zonal circulation in the stratosphere. A meridional drift of the descending Huygens Probe in the troposphere would be the easiest way to verify the tidal wind on Titan, but more complete observations of tropospheric wind and surface pressure by a future mission would be required to unveil the complete details of the tidal wind.
Neubauer Fritz Manfred
Tokano Tetsuya
No associations
LandOfFree
Tidal Winds on Titan Caused by Saturn does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Tidal Winds on Titan Caused by Saturn, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Tidal Winds on Titan Caused by Saturn will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-927006