Titan's inventory of organic surface materials

Ralph D. Lorenz; Karl L. Mitchell; Randolph L. Kirk; Alexander G. Hayes; Oded Aharonson; Howard A. Zebker; Philipe Paillou; Jani Radebaugh; Jonathan I. Lunine; Michael A. Janssen; Stephen D. Wall; Rosaly M.C. Lopes; Bryan Stiles; Steven J. Ostro; Giuseppe Mitri; Ellen R. Stofan

doi:10.1029/2007GL032118

Titan's inventory of organic surface materials

Geophysical Research Letters

By: Ralph D. Lorenz, Karl L. Mitchell, Randolph L. Kirk, Alexander G. Hayes, Oded Aharonson, Howard A. Zebker, Philipe Paillou, Jani Radebaugh, Jonathan I. Lunine, Michael A. Janssen, Stephen D. Wall, Rosaly M.C. Lopes, Bryan Stiles, Steven J. Ostro, Giuseppe Mitri, and Ellen R. Stofan

https://doi.org/10.1029/2007GL032118

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Abstract

Cassini RADAR observations now permit an initial assessment of the inventory of two classes, presumed to be organic, of Titan surface materials: polar lake liquids and equatorial dune sands. Several hundred lakes or seas have been observed, of which dozens are each estimated to contain more hydrocarbon liquid than the entire known oil and gas reserves on Earth. Dark dunes cover some 20% of Titan's surface, and comprise a volume of material several hundred times larger than Earth's coal reserves. Overall, however, the identified surface inventories (>3 × 10⁴ km³ of liquid, and >2 × 10⁵ km³ of dune sands) are small compared with estimated photochemical production on Titan over the age of the solar system. The sand volume is too large to be accounted for simply by erosion in observed river channels or ejecta from observed impact craters. The lakes are adequate in extent to buffer atmospheric methane against photolysis in the short term, but do not contain enough methane to sustain the atmosphere over geologic time. Unless frequent resupply from the interior buffers this greenhouse gas at exactly the right rate, dramatic climate change on Titan is likely in its past, present and future.

Additional publication details
Publication type	Article
Publication Subtype	Journal Article
Title	Titan's inventory of organic surface materials
Series title	Geophysical Research Letters
DOI	10.1029/2007GL032118
Volume	35
Issue	2
Year Published	2008
Language	English
Publisher	American Geophysical Union
Publisher location	Washington, D.C.
Contributing office(s)	Astrogeology Science Center
Description	6 p.
Larger Work Type	Article
Larger Work Subtype	Journal Article
Larger Work Title	Geophysical Research Letters
Other Geospatial	Titan
Google Analytic Metrics	Metrics page