[X] My Assistant

[ngunn]

I was struck by the first paragraph on p.166 relating to Huygens:

The SSP tilt sensors and the HASI accelerometer both seemed to indicate the probe was tilted by several degrees relative to the local vertical. But the horizon on the DISR images was pretty horizontal. It seemed unlikely that the ground would be sloping so steeply. Were some of the sensors wrong - and if they were, why did they agree with other factors? Maybe the probe had bent out of shape, changing the relative alignment. In fact, it would be impossible to know.

Reading this makes me want to view for myself the surface image oriented as the instruments indicate it should be, rather than on the assumption of a horizontal skyline. Just how implausible would it look? Presumably the imaging team did this, but perhaps that was before we knew how surprisingly high some of the 'pebble banks' near the landing site are. We only see one short section of the skyline after all.

Could Ralph or anyone provide a version of the image rotated accordingly?
EDIT - Or a version of the surface image annotated with the position of the theoretical horizon determined from SSP and HASI?

[ngunn]

For the record my close interest in gradients at the landing site is connected with the idea that exceptional storm winds could play a role, alongside gravity, in moving sediment-laden floods around on Titan's plains. This could result in flows from different directions leaving their marks at a single location, as we seem to see here. One could even imagine a flow front being pushed uphill, as happens with terrestrial storm surges. I'd like to hear from anyone with thoughts (or references) on this in relation to Titan. I don't have easy access to the literature so undoubtedly miss a lot.

[rlorenz]

For the record my close interest in gradients at the landing site is connected with the idea that exceptional storm winds could play a role, alongside gravity, in moving sediment-laden floods around on Titan's plains. This could result in flows from different directions leaving their marks at a single location, as we seem to see here. One could even imagine a flow front being pushed uphill, as happens with terrestrial storm surges. I'd like to hear from anyone with thoughts (or references) on this in relation to Titan. I don't have easy access to the literature so undoubtedly miss a lot.

In a bizarrely Adamsesque 'fundamental interconnectedness of all things' link, I agree it is possible,
and I actually have an interest in the moving rocks at Racetrack Playa in Death Valley National Park
(so far just had a paper submitted and rejected on the topic, early days yet...)

One day the calibration data for the Huygens radar altimeter will get recovered from the VMS system
they are imprisoned on and that may get published. We may also get some SARtopo out of T41 which
goes across the landing site area.

[ngunn]

One day the calibration data for the Huygens radar altimeter will get recovered from the VMS system
they are imprisoned on and that may get published. We may also get some SARtopo out of T41 which
goes across the landing site area.

Nice to know we'll get more news from that very special location - our one sure foothold in the outer solar system.

(and hats off to Adams for promoting lateral thinking in the funniest possible way)

All the same I think caution is in order. In line with the Francis Crick quote you could say "If you've tied up all the loose ends you've got it wrong because you haven't got all the ends yet."