A new study, led by a University of Bristol earth scientist, has shown that recently reported unexpected behaviour on Titan, the largest moon of Saturn, is due to its unique atmospheric chemistry.
A new study, led by a University of Bristol earth scientist, has shown that recently reported unexpected behaviour on Titan, the largest moon of Saturn, is due to its unique atmospheric chemistry.
Titan’s polar atmosphere recently experienced unexpected and significant cooling, contrary to all model predictions and differing from the behaviour of all other terrestrial planets in our solar system.
Titan is the largest moon of Saturn, is bigger than the planet Mercury, and is the only moon in our solar system to have a substantial atmosphere.
Usually, the high altitude polar atmosphere in a planet’s winter hemisphere is warm because of sinking air being compressed and heated - similar to what happens in a bicycle pump.
Read more at University of Bristol
Image: Titan’s winter polar vortex imaged by the Cassini Spacecraft’s ISS camera. The vortex is now in deep winter and can only be seen because the polar clouds within the vortex extend high above Titan’s surface into the sunlight. The vortex was extremely cold from 2012-2015 giving rise to unusual nitrile ice clouds. (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute/Jason Major)
