418 research outputs found
Equilibrium composition between liquid and clathrate reservoirs on Titan
Hundreds of lakes and a few seas of liquid hydrocarbons have been observed by
the Cassini spacecraft to cover the polar regions of Titan. A significant
fraction of these lakes or seas could possibly be interconnected with
subsurface liquid reservoirs of alkanes. In this paper, we investigate the
interplay that would happen between a reservoir of liquid hydrocarbons located
in Titan's subsurface and a hypothetical clathrate reservoir that progressively
forms if the liquid mixture diffuses throughout a preexisting porous icy layer.
To do so, we use a statistical-thermodynamic model in order to compute the
composition of the clathrate reservoir that forms as a result of the
progressive entrapping of the liquid mixture. This study shows that clathrate
formation strongly fractionates the molecules between the liquid and the solid
phases. Depending on whether the structure I or structure II clathrate forms,
the present model predicts that the liquid reservoirs would be mainly composed
of either propane or ethane, respectively. The other molecules present in the
liquid are trapped in clathrates. Any river or lake emanating from subsurface
liquid reservoirs that significantly interacted with clathrate reservoirs
should present such composition. On the other hand, lakes and rivers sourced by
precipitation should contain higher fractions of methane and nitrogen, as well
as minor traces of argon and carbon monoxide.Comment: Accepted for publication in Icaru
Titan's past and future: 3D modeling of a pure nitrogen atmosphere and geological implications
Several clues indicate that Titan's atmosphere has been depleted in methane
during some period of its history, possibly as recently as 0.5-1 billion years
ago. It could also happen in the future. Under these conditions, the atmosphere
becomes only composed of nitrogen with a range of temperature and pressure
allowing liquid or solid nitrogen to condense. Here, we explore these exotic
climates throughout Titan's history with a 3D Global Climate Model (GCM)
including the nitrogen cycle and the radiative effect of nitrogen clouds. We
show that for the last billion years, only small polar nitrogen lakes should
have formed. Yet, before 1 Ga, a significant part of the atmosphere could have
condensed, forming deep nitrogen polar seas, which could have flowed and
flooded the equatorial regions. Alternatively, nitrogen could be frozen on the
surface like on Triton, but this would require an initial surface albedo higher
than 0.65 at 4 Ga. Such a state could be stable even today if nitrogen ice
albedo is higher than this value. According to our model, nitrogen flows and
rain may have been efficient to erode the surface. Thus, we can speculate that
a paleo-nitrogen cycle may explain the erosion and the age of Titan's surface,
and may have produced some of the present valley networks and shorelines.
Moreover, by diffusion of liquid nitrogen in the crust, a paleo-nitrogen cycle
could be responsible of the flattening of the polar regions and be at the
origin of the methane outgassing on Titan.Comment: Accepted for publication in Icarus on July 7, 201
Evidence of Titan's Climate History from Evaporite Distribution
Water-ice-poor, 5-m-bright material on Saturn's moon Titan has
previously been geomorphologically identified as evaporitic. Here we present a
global distribution of the occurrences of the 5-m-bright spectral unit,
identified with Cassini's Visual Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) and
examined with RADAR when possible. We explore the possibility that each of
these occurrences are evaporite deposits. The 5-m-bright material covers
1\% of Titan's surface and is not limited to the poles (the only regions with
extensive, long-lived surface liquid). We find the greatest areal concentration
to be in the equatorial basins Tui Regio and Hotei Regio. Our interpretations,
based on the correlation between 5-m-bright material and lakebeds, imply
that there was enough liquid present at some time to create the observed
5-m-bright material. We address the climate implications surrounding a
lack of evaporitic material at the south polar basins: if the south pole basins
were filled at some point in the past, then where is the evaporite
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