Titan's methane clouds: The hunt for regions of active geology

Details Titan's methane clouds: The hunt for regions of active geology Titan's methane clouds: The hunt for regions of active geology

Feb 2006

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006noao.prop..314r&link_type=abstract

NOAO Proposal ID #2006A-0314

Physics

Optics

Scientific paper

In previous semesters of this Titan monitoring program we discovered Titan's mid-latitude clouds (Roe et al. 2005a). We now find that these clouds are controlled by a region of active surface geology near 40°S, 350°W that is emitting methane via cryovolcanoes, geysering, and/or the opening of surface cracks (Roe et al. 2005b). This is the first observational evidence that Titan's surface is emitting methane in the present day and the first identification of a region of currently active surface geology. Imaging Titan's clouds requires only a small amount (20-25 min) of large (8-10 meter) adaptive optics telescope time and queued Gemini observations are uniquely suited to this observing program. Continued observations are required to identify other regions of methane release, better determine the behavior of the 40°S, 350°W source, and study the seasonal south polar clouds as Titan nears the season when they should disappear.

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