Titan's topography, strange.... |
Titan's topography, strange.... |
Apr 12 2009, 12:44 PM
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#1
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Senior Member Group: Moderator Posts: 2785 Joined: 10-November 06 From: Pasadena, CA Member No.: 1345 |
Recent article in Science by Zebker et al.:
Zebker et al. Science in press, "Size and Shape of Saturn's Moon Titan". doi: 10.1126/science.1168905 (published online April 2, 2009) Link to abstract (pay-for article): http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/1168905 Article on spaceref discusses this paper: http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=27912 Figure 3 from the Science article is a global elevation map relative to barycenter. Key points of article:
"Xanadu seems to be systematically lower than other parts of the equatorial belt, and not uplifted like most mountainous areas on Earth." (quote from Fig. 3 caption in article) -Mike -------------------- Some higher resolution images available at my photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31678681@N07/
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Apr 15 2009, 02:34 PM
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#2
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Senior Member Group: Moderator Posts: 2785 Joined: 10-November 06 From: Pasadena, CA Member No.: 1345 |
Looking at channels in the RADAR Swaths, I haven't seen any obvious places where the apparent flow direction is different from the proposed barycentric elevation differential (Fig 3 in Zebker et al.).
[BTW, the actual swath traces and their altimetry data can be seen in the figures in the text. This was really helpful.] As far as I can tell, the barycentric elevation data seem to fit the equipotential surface (geoid). Why Xanadu is not filled in baffles me... -Mike -------------------- Some higher resolution images available at my photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31678681@N07/
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Apr 15 2009, 03:06 PM
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#3
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 3516 Joined: 4-November 05 From: North Wales Member No.: 542 |
Why Xanadu is not filled in baffles me... Perhaps dune particles have a finite lifetime on Titan, and some areas like Xanadu are simply made of the wrong materials for producing them. I agree with your point in an earlier post that they can't be falling from the sky. It has always been awkward to explain how some areas are swept clean if that were the case. |
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