Electromagnetic models and inversion techniques for Titan’s Ontario Lacus depth estimation from Cassini RADAR data

Ventura, B.; Notarnicola, Claudia; Casarano, D.; Posa, F.; Hayes, Alexander G.; Wye, L.

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2012.09.011

Cited by 13 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…The results show that the maximum dissolved quantities, allowed by our model, exceed by a factor of ∼ 10 3 − 10 4 the amounts of potential solutes that are assumed to fall from the atmosphere according to photochemistry models. Thanks to Cassini RADAR data, Ventura et al (2012) derived a more realistic average depth for Ontario Lacus, around ten times lower than our crude estimation. Obviously, even a much shallower lake does not alter our conclusion.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 50%

Structure of Titan’s evaporites

Cordier

Cornet

Barnes

et al. 2016

Icarus

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Numerous geological features that could be evaporitic in origin have been identified on the surface of Titan. Although they seem to be water-ice poor, their main properties -chemical composition, thickness, stratification-are essentially unknown. In this paper, which follows on a previous one focusing on the surface composition (Cordier et al., 2013b), we provide some answers to these questions derived from a new model. This model, based on the up-to-date thermodynamic theory known as "PC-SAFT", has been validated with available laboratory measurements and specifically developed for our purpose. 1-D models confirm the possibility of an acetylene and/or butane enriched central layer of evaporitic deposit. The estimated thickness of this acetylene-butane layer could explain the strong RADAR brightness of the evaporites. The 2-D computations indicate an accumulation of poorly soluble species at the deposit's margin. Among these species, HCN or aerosols similar to tholins could play a dominant role. Our model predicts the existence of chemically trimodal "bathtub rings" which is consistent with what it is observed at the south polar lake Ontario Lacus. This work also provides plausible explanations to the lack of evaporites in the south polar region and to the high radar reflectivity of dry lakebeds.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 50%

Structure of Titan’s evaporites

Cordier

Cornet

Barnes

et al. 2016

Icarus

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“…Systematically determining the depths of the lakes, similar to what have been tentatively done with Cassini (e.g. Ventura et al, 2012;Mastrogiuseppe et al, 2014) , is of high importance, both to constrain the total amount of liquid they contain, as well as to understand the underlying geological processes and "methanological" cycling that formed them.…”

Section: Lacustrine Features and Processesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Science goals and mission concept for the future exploration of Titan and Enceladus

Tobie¹,

Teanby²,

Coustenis³

et al. 2014

Planetary and Space Science

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Saturn's moons, Titan and Enceladus, are two of the Solar System's most enigmatic bodies and are prime targets for future space exploration. Titan provides an analogue for many processes relevant to the Earth, more generally to outer Solar System bodies, and a growing host of newly discovered icy exoplanets. Processes represented include: atmospheric dynamics, complex organic chemistry, meteorological cycles (with methane as a working fluid), astrobiology, surface liquids and lakes, geology, fluvial and aeolian erosion, and interactions with an external plasma environment. In addition, exploring Enceladus over multiple targeted flybys will give us a unique opportunity to further study the most active icy moon in our Solar System as revealed by Cassini and to analyse in situ its active plume with highly capable instrumentation addressing its complex chemistry and dynamics. Enceladus' plume likely represents the most accessible samples from an extra-terrestrial liquid water environment in the Solar system, which has far reaching implications for many areas of planetary and biological science. Titan with its massive atmosphere and Enceladus with its active plume are prime planetary objects in the Outer Solar System to perform in situ investigations. In the present paper, we describe the science goals and key measurements to be

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“…An important ingredient of the model of Ontario Lacus is the bathymetry. Presently, bathymetries are available for a few lakes/seas: Ontario Lacus (see Ventura et al, 2012;Hayes, 2016, andMastrogiuseppe, 2016, soon submitted to Icarus), Ligeia Mare (see Mastrogiuseppe et al, 2014) and Kraken Mare (see Lorenz et al, 2014). This last one is computed from an empirical rule observed in Earth lakes basin and adapted to Titan seas from Ligeia Mare measured bathymetry.…”

Section: Bathymetrymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It only reects the size of the lake. ogy (Wall et al, 2010;Cornet et al, 2012), composition (Brown et al, 2008), bathymetry Ventura et al, 2012;Hayes, 2016) as well as tides (Tokano, 2010). Dierences between ISS images taken in 2005 (Rev009, L s = 306 • 4 ) and in 2009 (T51, L s = 355 • ) suggested possible shoreline variations .…”

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confidence: 99%

“…The rst pieces of information about Ontario Lacus bathymetry came from T49, T57 and T58 observations (2008 and 2009) which were used by Hayes et al (2010) to derive the bathymetry near the shoreline. Using SAR data from T65, Ventura et al (2012) estimated the bathymetry over the whole lake. Their results indicate a maximum depth of about 30 m for a data map resolution of 256 pix/deg (i.e.…”

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confidence: 99%

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