The role of methane in Titan's clouds, climate, winds, and spin

Details The role of methane in Titan's clouds, climate, winds, and spin The role of methane in Titan's clouds, climate, winds, and spin

Dec 2008

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008agufm.p21a1341m&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2008, abstract #P21A-1341

Physics

0343 Planetary Atmospheres (5210, 5405, 5704), 5210 Planetary Atmospheres, Clouds, And Hazes (0343), 5405 Atmospheres (0343, 1060), 6281 Titan

Scientific paper

The atmosphere of Titan is laden with methane vapor, the equivalent of a 5 m global ocean. Methane is near its triple point at surface conditions on Titan, suggesting it is thermodynamically active. I will demonstrate how the coupling of methane thermodynamics to the large-scale circulation limits cloud coverage and duration, defines climate zones, limits low-altitude atmospheric superrotation, and damps the seasonal cycle. Cassini-Huygens and ground-based observations reveal these effects in the seasonality of methane clouds, the latitudinal distribution of surface morphologies, the vertical profile of winds, and a time lag in the observed seasonal spin rate change, respectively. These phenomena are consistent with the presence of an active but seasonal cycle of methane in the atmosphere.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

The role of methane in Titan's clouds, climate, winds, and spin 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 The role of methane in Titan's clouds, climate, winds, and spin, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The role of methane in Titan's clouds, climate, winds, and spin will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1236625