Other
Scientific paper
Dec 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010agufm.p31c1554l&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2010, abstract #P31C-1554
Other
[5415] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Erosion And Weathering, [5419] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Hydrology And Fluvial Processes, [5460] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Physical Properties Of Materials, [5470] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Surface Materials And Properties
Scientific paper
Images of the surface of Titan returned by the Cassini-Huygens mission show extensive fluvial drainage networks, which may be eroded by low-velocity impacts by ice clasts moving as bedload in rivers of liquid methane. Recent work has shown that the strength of polycrystalline water ice at Titan surface temperature of 93K is comparable to moderate strength rocks on Earth, and is significantly stronger than ice at terrestrial temperatures. However, the ice bedrock on Titan is likely to contain impurities such as silicates, atmospherically-derived hydrocarbon polymers and compounds of cryovolcanic origin. In this laboratory investigation, we examine the dependence of ice erosion resistance on the concentration of impurities, across a wide range of temperatures. The polycrystalline ice is made from a log-normally distributed seed crystal material with a median size of 1.4mm, which we combine with particles of basalt, ammonium-sulfate, and a urea polymer. We use the Brazilian tensile splitting test to measure the strength of the ice as a function of the concentration of each impurity. We erode 57-cm diameter drums of ice by repeatedly dropping a clast of known mass from a constant height and measure volume eroded with a topographic scanning technique where photographs are taken at an oblique angle to a vertically-oriented laser sheet. We control the temperature of the ice with dry ice and liquid nitrogen, as well as by conducting experiments in a walk-in freezer. The strength tests indicate that the ice strengthens with decreasing temperature and increasing concentration of impurity, for all impurity types. Additionally, the grain size of the added impurities is a strongly influences ice strength. The results of the erosion tests indicate that ice, regardless of composition, becomes stronger, and becomes more resistant to erosion, as it gets colder. However, the ice containing impurities is more resistant to erosion as compared to pure ice. Combining the results of both the strength tests and erosion experiments, we conclude that the resistance to erosion of the ice increases with increasing concentration of each impurity. These results will help constrain estimates of ice resistance to erosion, and possible erosion rates, that may occur on Titan and other icy satellites.
Collins Geoffrey C.
Litwin K. L.
Polito P.
Sklar L. S.
Zygielbaum B.
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