Titan (7)-Rain, tides, soil temperature

According to various models, liquid methane in the equatorial region evaporates and is carried by the wind to the poles, places where the temperature is lower and as a result the gas condenses

rain

According to various models, liquid methane in the equatorial region evaporates and is carried by the wind to the poles, places where the temperature is lower and as a result the gas condenses. When it comes back to the ground it forms lakes at the poles. A process similar to the water cycle on Earth (1). It is estimated that the global circulation is influenced by the atmosphere and the land. The temperature in the ground responds faster to changes in sunlight than the atmosphere. The speed at which the clouds accumulate is similar to what generates the tropical rain forests on Earth. This is despite the fact that these delayed responses to seasonal changes and their sudden offset are more reminiscent of the response of the tropical oceans than the tropical regions on Earth (2). The raindrops on Titan are similar to the raindrops on Earth, but because of Titan's low gravity they are larger and slower More on their way to the ground, when they pass through the dry lower layers of the atmosphere, some of them evaporate before reaching the ground (3).

In observations made at the end of 2010, rain was noticed in the arid equatorial region. This is the first time they have noticed the rain that creates moisture in the soil in low latitudes. Extensive rains originating from large cloud systems darkened the surface of the ground. The explanation given for this is that these areas remained moist after a rainstorm of methane. It turned out that the weather systems and the changes occurring in the soil are affected by seasonal changes (4). The duration of the rains in the equatorial region is very short. In a comparison between a photograph from 29.10.2010 in which the ground looked moist and a photograph taken on 15.1.2011 in the latter the ground was again dry and bright (5).

rapids

Titan's orbit around Saturn is not completely circular. Small deviations exist. The minimum distance from Saturn is 1.19 million km and the maximum distance is 1.26 million km. These differences create tides and slightly bend the surface of the moon. It is estimated that the tidal waves can provide information about the interior of the moon. It turned out that during the tides the surface can rise and fall at a rate of 10 cm in the entire circumference of Saturn. This means that the inside of the moon is distorted. relatively. According to one of the models, an ice crust tens of kilometers thick floats on the surface of a global ocean (6). Since the moon is not completely spherical, it is somewhat flattened, they came to the conclusion that the other moons of Saturn, which are much smaller than it, also have an effect, although it is small. Tidal forces are more concentrated at the poles than at the equator. This means that the amount of heat generated at the poles is somewhat greater in these areas and they melt the bottom of the ice layer somewhat and makes it thinner compared to other places on Titan (7).

Careful

Some of the photographs of Titan were taken on its night side and it turned out that it was glowing, albeit dimly. This caution is similar to the light of a fluorescent lamp. The light in a fluorescent lamp is created when electrons created by an electrical force are splashed into fluorescent atoms and cause them to glow. What is particularly surprising is that this light comes from deep within the atmosphere, passing through the entire haze layer that covers Titan. The conclusion they reached is that this light is created when charged particles hit the nitrogen molecule of the atmosphere. During observations made in 2009 when the spacecraft passed through Saturn's shadow region, a rare opportunity arose to observe every detail that could be on Titan itself. The researchers took advantage of the long exposure of the camera's aperture - 650 seconds - to observe every detail of Titan. The researchers hoped to spot Zaira at an altitude of 700 km from the ground, a place where charged particles from Saturn formed in the electromagnetic bubble surrounding Saturn detach electrons from the molecules in Titan's atmosphere. The surprise was great because it was possible to carefully observe the night side of the moon even with visible light at a depth of 300 km above the ground. The researchers took into account that this glow could also be from reflected sunlight from Saturn, but it was also seen on the night side of Titan. The warning comes from too deep in the atmosphere for charged particles coming from the sun's reflection from Saturn. This area was not affected by the penetration of charged particles into magnetic fields which on Earth generate the aurora borealis. It could be that the source of the warning is cosmic rays that penetrate deep into the atmosphere or from light emitted during a chemical reaction deep in the atmosphere (8).

sunlight and soil temperature

Due to the distance from the sun and the thick atmosphere of Titan, the amount of light reaching the ground is only 0.1 of the solar energy reaching the earth. The temperature differences are around -180 0 C. The light differences between the light side and the dark side are few (9). Afternoon is significantly hotter than sunrise. Although the temperature differences are small 1.50 the behavior of the soil is similar to that of the Earth (10).

the crust of the moon

Based on observations and measurements, the researchers came to the conclusion that the average thickness of the ice sheet is 3 km less than the average thickness at the poles and 3 km greater than the average thickness at the equator. The combination of gravity and topography raise the possibility that the thickness of the crust as a whole is 200 km. The origin of the differences in the thickness of the crust is probably related to the geometry of Titan's orbit. The geometry is not completely circular (7).

Internal structure

From findings published in 2010, the researchers concluded that the internal differentiation is not similar to that of the inner planets and Jupiter's moon Ganymede, where there is a clear distinction between the inner layers. The findings show that Titan evolved differently and at a slower pace. Only in the outer 500 km of the moon are there no traces of rock in the ice. At greater depths there is a mixture of ice and rock. To prevent separation of water and rock, excessive heating of the crust must be avoided (11). Titan has an ice core whose radius is slightly greater than 2000 km, above it an ice ocean 225-300 km thick and above it an ice layer 200 km thick (7). Based on observations published in 2019, they came to the conclusion that inside the moon there is indeed differentiation between the layers and even complete. This means that the core is denser than the outer layers, although its density is less than thought. The reason for this is probably that the core contains a large amount of ice or because it created reactions with water and thus minerals of low density were formed (10).

Bursts of energy

As in observations from previous years, bursts of energy from Titan were also noticed this time. Strong flashes of light erupting from the atmosphere in the form of a large cup that reaches a distance of hundreds of kilometers. This observation was recorded on 12.10.2009 (12).

Sources

1. "Cassini sees tropical lakes on Saturn moon" 13.6.2012

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/newreleases/newsrelease20120613

2. PIA12810: Equatorial Titan clouds

http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/PIA12810

3. Hecht J. – "Ethane lakes in a red haze: Titan's uncanny moonscape" 11.7.2011

http://newscientists.com/article/mg21128201.600=ethane-lakes-in-a red- haze- titans -uncanny –moonscape.html?full=true

4. "Cassini sees seasonal rains transform Titan's surface" 18.3.2011

http://spacedaily.com/reports/Cassini_Sees_Seasonal_Rains_Transform_Titans _Surface_999.html

5. PIA12818: Titan deluge

http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/PIA12818

6. Perkins S.- "Tidal evidence suggests water sloshes beneath Titan's icy crust" 28.6.2012

http://scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=tidal-evidence-titans-crust

7. Bergernon L. –Titan's, Saturn's largest moon icier than scientists thought” 6.12.2012

http://spacedaily.com/reports/Titan’s_Saturns_Largest_Moon_Icier__Than_Scientists_ Thought_999.html

8. "Cassini Halloween treat: Titan glows in the dark" 1.11.2012

http://spacedaily.com/reports/Cassini_ Halloween _Treat_Titan_ Glows_ In _The_ Dark_999.html

9. Francis M.- Faint sunlight enough to drive weather, cloud on Saturn's moon Titan" 16.1.2012

http”//arstechniea.com/science/news/2012/01/like-ogres-titans-atmosphere-may-have-layer.ars

10. "The many moods of Titan" 24.2.24.2.2012

http://spacedaily.com/reports/The_May_ Moods_ Of _Titan_999.html

11. "Cassini data show ice and rock mixture inside Titan" 12.3.2010

http://spacedaily.com/reports/Cassini_Data_Show_Ice_ And_Rock _Mixture_ Inside _Titan_999.html

12. Image WOOO60291.jpg

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/photos/raw/rawimagedetails/index.xfm?ImageID=202913