Titan's Tropospheric Winds: Effects Influencing Superrotation

Details Titan's Tropospheric Winds: Effects Influencing Superrotation Titan's Tropospheric Winds: Effects Influencing Superrotation

Oct 2010

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010dps....42.5804m&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #42, #58.04; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 42, p.1082

Physics

Scientific paper

Several effects on atmospheric superrotation are explored using an idealized general circulation model (GCM) of Titan. GCMs typically do not produce superrotation to the degree observed in Titan's atmosphere. Numerical experiments with an Earth-like GCM suggest large-scale disturbances of zonal wavenumbers one and two are responsible for establishing and maintaining superrotation [Mitchell & Vallis 2010]. The global structure of these disturbances are sensitive to artificial damping at all latitudes, and they show extreme sensitivity to damping directly at the equator. A Titan GCM with idealized physics including grey radiation and moist convection is employed to study several effects on Titan's tropospheric superrotation. These include "spurious” effects like numerical noise or artificial damping and "real” effects like topographical wave forcing or the pattern of seasonal convection. For instance, Cassini measurements show Titan's surface has zonal- degree-two (quadrupole) topographical relief of ˜200 m at the equator [Zebker et al. 2009; Iess et al. 2010] and mountains up to 2 km in height [Radebaugh et al. 2007]. Based on these numerical experiments, I will suggest steps that can be taken to improve the ability of Titan GCMs to develop realistic superrotation. I will interpret the experimental results in light of recent observations.

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