Researchers at Stanford University have modeled the surface of one of Saturn’s moons, revealing landscapes that bear a striking resemblance to those on Earth.
Researchers described their findings in detail in the journal Geophysical Researchers Letters earlier this month. They said that on Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, you will find many rivers, lakes, sand dunes and canyons that will look quite similar to Earth’s landscapes.
However, there is a key difference between the landscapes of Earth and those of Titan. Instead of water, liquid methane fills the rivers and lakes of Titan.
Methane rivers, as well as winds, are key to how such a terrestrial landscape could appear on Titan. Researchers say that the abrasion of Titan’s rock sediments by these rivers and winds promotes the formation of sand grains and creates a seasonal sedimentary cycle that governs these landscapes.
“Our model adds a unifying framework that allows us to understand how all of these sediments work together,” study author and Stanford University geologist Mathieu Lapotre said in a press release Monday.
This process is also similar to how sand dunes and other landscapes on Earth are created. Rocks and minerals are eroded over time by ocean waves, rivers and winds, forming grains of sand.
“As the winds transport the grains, the grains collide with each other and with the surface. “These collisions tend to reduce grain size over time,” Lapotre said.
But another key difference between Earth and Titan is that Titan’s sediments are thought to be composed of solid organic compounds that are thought to be too brittle to form grains. The researchers said that a process called sintering, in which grains merge with adjacent grains to form a larger piece, may be able to balance the fragility of these compounds and allow sand grains to maintain a stable size.
“We were able to solve the paradox of why Titan has had sand dunes for so long, even though the materials are very weak,” Lapotre said.
Titan has long been a topic of interest to astronomers due to its potential habitability. Researchers say their findings may be part of the puzzle of assessing Titan’s life prospects.
“We are showing that on Titan – just like on Earth and what was the case on Mars – we have an active sedimentary cycle that can explain the geographical distribution of landscapes through episodic abrasion and sintering driven by Titan’s seasons,” Lapotre said. . “It’s fascinating to think about how this alternative world exists so far away, where things are so different but so similar.”
Add Comment