Namibian Analogs To Titan Dunes

Details Namibian Analogs To Titan Dunes Namibian Analogs To Titan Dunes

Sep 2009

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009dps....41.2107w&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #41, #21.07

Mathematics

Logic

Scientific paper

Titan's equatorial dunes, observed in Cassini SAR, have been described as longitudinal, similar to longitudinal dunes in the Namib sand sea in southern Africa. Their "Y” junctions and the way they divert around topography are used as evidence of equatorial wind flow direction. In two instances of such diversion they exhibit overlying or crosshatched patterns in two distinct directions that have been interpreted as a transition to transverse dunes. Here we describe field observations of the Namibian dunes and these comparisons, we present images of the dunes from terrestrial SAR missions, and we discuss implications to both the Titan dunes and the wind regime that created them.
Selected portions of the Namibian dunes resemble Titan's dunes in peak-to-peak distance and length. They are morphologically similar to Titan, and specific superficial analogs are common, but they also differ. For example, when Titan dunes encounter topography they either terminate abruptly, "climb” the upslope, or divert around; only the latter behavior is seen in remote sensing images of Namibia. Namib linear dunes do transition to transverse as they divert, but at considerably smaller wavelength, while at Titan the wavelengths are of the same scale. Crosshatching of similar-wavelength dunes does occur in Namibia, but not near obstacles.
Many additional aeolian features that are seen at Namibia such as star dunes, serpentine ridges and scours have not been detected on Titan, although they might be below the Cassini SAR's 300-m resolution. These similarities and differences allow us to explore mechanisms of Titan dune formation, in some cases giving us clues as to what larger scale evidence to look for in SAR images. Viewed at similar resolution, they provide interesting comparisons with the Titan dunes, both in likeness and differences. A part of this work was carried out at JPL under contract with NASA.

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