- #1
- 8,142
- 1,756
Titan - Saturn's major moon - may have a surface of oily lakes or oceans, according to the latest radar research.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3158496.stm
Titan - Saturn's major moon - may have a surface of oily lakes or oceans, according to the latest radar research.
The Huygens probe, supplied by the European Space Agency, carries a well-equipped robotic laboratory that it will use to scrutinize the clouds, atmosphere, and surface of Saturn's moon Titan. As the 2.7-meter-diameter (8.9-foot) probe enters the atmosphere it will begin taking measurements in the haze layer above the cloud tops. As it descends -- first on a main parachute and later on a drogue chute for stability -- various instruments will measure the temperature, pressure, density, and energy balance in the atmosphere.
As the Huygens probe breaks through the cloud deck, a camera will capture pictures of the Titan panorama. Instruments will also be used to study properties of Titan's surface remotely -- and perhaps directly, should the probe survive the landing.
Many scientists theorize that Titan may be covered by lakes or oceans of methane or ethane, so the Huygens probe is designed to function even if it lands in liquid. If the battery-powered probe survives its landing, it will relay measurements from Titan's surface until the Cassini orbiter flies beyond the horizon and out of radio contact.
Scientists have observed that the surface of Titan is covered in liquid hydrocarbons and that there is a lack of water on the surface. This indicates that the oceans on Titan are likely composed of hydrocarbons such as methane and ethane, which have an oily consistency.
It is believed that the hydrocarbons on Titan were formed through a process called "photolysis", in which ultraviolet light from the sun breaks down methane in the atmosphere. This process creates ethane and other hydrocarbons, which then fall to the surface and form lakes and oceans.
While the conditions on Titan may seem harsh for life as we know it, some scientists believe that the hydrocarbons could serve as a solvent for life forms that use different chemistry than Earth-based life. However, more research is needed to determine if this is possible.
In addition to the potential for oily oceans, scientists have also discovered that Titan has a thick atmosphere, a dynamic weather cycle, and lakes of liquid methane on its surface. The Cassini spacecraft has also captured images of mountains, dunes, and other geological features on Titan.
While both Titan and Earth have liquid oceans on their surfaces, they are composed of very different substances. Earth's oceans are primarily made of water, while Titan's oceans are made of hydrocarbons. Additionally, Earth's oceans are much larger and deeper, with an average depth of 12,080 feet compared to Titan's average depth of only 330 feet.