The Sand Seas of Titan: Cassini RADAR Observations of Longitudinal Dunes
Author:
Lorenz R. D.12345, Wall S.12345, Radebaugh J.12345, Boubin G.12345, Reffet E.12345, Janssen M.12345, Stofan E.12345, Lopes R.12345, Kirk R.12345, Elachi C.12345, Lunine J.12345, Mitchell K.12345, Paganelli F.12345, Soderblom L.12345, Wood C.12345, Wye L.12345, Zebker H.12345, Anderson Y.12345, Ostro S.12345, Allison M.12345, Boehmer R.12345, Callahan P.12345, Encrenaz P.12345, Ori G. G.12345, Francescetti G.12345, Gim Y.12345, Hamilton G.12345, Hensley S.12345, Johnson W.12345, Kelleher K.12345, Muhleman D.12345, Picardi G.12345, Posa F.12345, Roth L.12345, Seu R.12345, Shaffer S.12345, Stiles B.12345, Vetrella S.12345, Flamini E.12345, West R.12345
Affiliation:
1. Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA. 2. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA. 3. Proxemy Research, Bowie, MD 20715, USA. 4. U.S. Geological Survey, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA. 5. RADAR Team Leader, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA.
Abstract
The most recent Cassini RADAR images of Titan show widespread regions (up to 1500 kilometers by 200 kilometers) of near-parallel radar-dark linear features that appear to be seas of longitudinal dunes similar to those seen in the Namib desert on Earth. The Ku-band (2.17-centimeter wavelength) images show â¼100-meter ridges consistent with duneforms and reveal flow interactions with underlying hills. The distribution and orientation of the dunes support a model of fluctuating surface winds of â¼0.5 meter per second resulting from the combination of an eastward flow with a variable tidal wind. The existence of dunes also requires geological processes that create sand-sized (100- to 300-micrometer) particulates and a lack of persistent equatorial surface liquids to act as sand traps.
Publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Subject
Multidisciplinary
Reference30 articles.
1. M. Allison, in Proceedings Symposium on Titan, Toulouse, France, 9-12 September 1991, B. Kaldeich, Ed. (European Space Agency SP-338, Noordwijk, Netherlands, 1992), pp. 113â118. 2. Wind as a Geological Process 1985 3. R. D. Lorenz, J. I. Lunine, J. A. Grier, M. A. Fisher, J. Geophys. Res. (Planets)88, 26377 (1995). 4. Lifting Titan's Veil 2002 5. Tidal Winds on Titan Caused by Saturn
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