Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Sep 2006
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006dps....38.5204w&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #38, #52.04; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 38, p.579
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
Surface units on Titan identified by Cassini Radar help us to establish details of how the methane cycle operates. Lakes, drainage channels, volcanic vents and flows all may be outward signs of this cycle and speak to the question of methane sources, storage and sinks. More indirectly, pluvial/fluvial erosion of surface features give us clues to rainfall rates. Variations in correlation with infrared data and microwave radiometry show that some features may in fact be volume scattering at radar wavelengths or covered by thin layers of radar-transparent material. Radar response to surface roughness may also allow discrimination between areas covered by photochemical debris and those that have been cleansed.
In this paper we will review relevant observations and discuss possible connections between surface modification and the production, storage and recycling of methane. This work was carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Cassini RADAR Team
Janssen Martin
Kirk Randolph
Lopes Ricardo
Lorenz Robert
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