Dust Storms on Titan
Dennis Fischer <[email protected]> Tue, 25 Sep 2018 23:53:48 +0000
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------=_Part_2564190_92678900.1537919628275 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Artist's concept of a dust storm on Titan=C2=A0(NASA/ESA/IPGP/Labex UnivEar= thS/University Paris Diderot) Saturn=E2=80=99s moon Titan has dust storms much like Earth Like desert dust storms on Earth, scientists find that huge storms whip up = dust and dirt on Saturn=E2=80=99s biggest moon KEITH A. SPENCER SEPTEMBER 25, 2018 10:27PM (UTC) Vast dust storms on Earth, like those that sweep over the=C2=A0Sahara=C2=A0= or=C2=A0Arizona, have little analogue in the solar system: only one other w= orld,=C2=A0Mars,=C2=A0is known to have comparable=C2=A0dust storms.=C2=A0Th= at changes today, as a new scientific paper=C2=A0published=C2=A0in Nature G= eosciences revealed that dust storms routinely sweep across the surface of = Saturn=E2=80=99s large moon Titan.Pulling data from the Cassini spacecraft,= which probed the Saturnian system for 13 years before=C2=A0falling into Sa= turn=E2=80=99s atmosphere=C2=A0in September 2017, the paper=E2=80=99s co-au= thors describe how a combination of =E2=80=9CCassini spectral data, radiati= ve transfer modelling and atmospheric simulations=E2=80=9D led them to the = conclusion that Cassini had observed a massive dust storm on Titan.=E2=80= =9CThe brightenings [that] originate in the atmosphere are consistent with = formation from dust storms composed of micrometre-sized solid organic parti= cles mobilized from underlying dune fields,=E2=80=9D the scientists=C2=A0wr= ote=C2=A0in Nature Geosciences.Click for Sound=C2=A0Titan has always been a= n unusual moon. Unlike most of the solar system=E2=80=99s large moons, it h= as a substantial atmosphere that is largely comprised of nitrogen (like Ear= th=E2=80=99s). Titan=E2=80=99s atmosphere is slightly denser than Earth=E2= =80=99s atmosphere overall, but not so dense that it would crush an astrona= ut (like Venus=E2=80=99s).=C2=A0 In fact, at 1.45 atmospheres, an astronaut= on Titan who was suitably warm could survive with only an air-tight oxygen= mask on, with their skin exposed to the atmosphere without discomfort.Tita= n=E2=80=99s dense atmosphere is partly to blame for these storms. Obviously= , in order for dust to blow around, you need wind, and in order to have win= d, you need to have a dense enough atmosphere to kick up solid particulates= on the surface. These two components come together more rarely than you mi= ght think: Venus has an=C2=A0immensely dense atmosphere, but its surface is= so hot there=E2=80=99s probably not much dust that hasn=E2=80=99t been vap= orized or melted down to rock. The moon has plenty of silty dirt on its sur= face, but hardly an atmosphere to speak of (nor wind). The gas giants have = thick atmospheres but no solid surface geography with dunes or dirt. Titan,= Earth and Mars are in a class of their own. Scientists had speculated previously that there may be Titanian dust storms= ; notably, when the Huygens lander touched down on Titan=E2=80=99s surface,= the probe=C2=A0observed dust spew up in its wake for several=C2=A0seconds,= something that the scientists note in the paper.The discovery of large-sca= le dust storms on Titan has implications for all kinds of different scienti= fic fields, from geology and meteorology to geophysics and astrobiology. = =E2=80=9CBesides Earth and Mars, Titan would thus be the only other body in= the Solar System where dust storms and aeolian activity over dune fields h= ave been observed, indicating the complexity of the atmospheric dynamics an= d atmosphere=E2=80=93surface interactions at play on Saturn=E2=80=99s large= st moon,=E2=80=9D the scientists note in the paper.Notably, Titan=E2=80=99s= geology may be quite alien compared to Earth=E2=80=99s (or Mars), in part = because its lakes and rivers are not comprised of water but rather hydrocar= bons like methane and ethane. Like water on Earth, the hydrocarbons on Tita= n exhibit a similar meteorological cycle, in which they move between being = clouds, rain, and bodies of liquid on the surface.ORE =E2=86=92That this di= scovery was made long after the Cassini probe had disintegrated illustrates= how the rich scientific data from these kinds of missions can result in sc= ientific discovery for years to come. Currently, there are no confirmed fut= ure missions to Titan, though a=C2=A0proposed mission=C2=A0called =E2=80=9C= Dragonfly=E2=80=9D would land a small drone on the surface, which would fly= around and=C2=A0make observations. ------=_Part_2564190_92678900.1537919628275 Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <html><head></head><body><div style=3D"color:#000; background-color:#fff; f= ont-family:Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;font= -size:13px"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: a= ntialiased; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; mi= n-height: 300px; color: rgb(33, 37, 41); font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; f= ont-size: 16px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392033"><div data-go= ogle-query-id=3D"CIDn4MKs190CFQLVWwodZmYCjA" style=3D"box-sizing: border-bo= x; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970= 208_392034"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; 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backgrou= nd: black; color: rgb(33, 37, 41); font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-si= ze: 16px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392037"><div style=3D"box-= sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative= ; min-height: 395px; padding: 0px; width: 948.797px; background: url("= https://mediaproxy.salon.com/width/972/https://media.salon.com/2018/09/tita= n-dust-storm.jpg") center center;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_15374169702= 08_392038"></div><aside style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoot= hing: antialiased; display: flex; background-image: initial; background-pos= ition: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; backg= round-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: ini= tial; text-align: center; justify-content: center; align-items: center; bor= der-left: 1px solid white; width: 237.188px; padding: 10px;" id=3D"yui_3_16= _0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392039"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webk= it-font-smoothing: antialiased;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_3920= 40"><br></div></aside></section><section style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -= webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; margin-= right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px 2em 0px 4em; position: relative;= color: rgb(33, 37, 41); font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"= id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392055"><section style=3D"box-sizing= : border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative; widt= h: 726.656px; min-height: 1px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; flex:= 0 0 66.6667%; max-width: 66.6667%;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_= 392056"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antia= liased;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392057"><section style=3D"bo= x-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" id=3D"yui_3_16_= 0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392058"><span style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webk= it-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-weight: bolder; font-size: 0.75em;" id= =3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392059">Artist's concept of a dust stor= m on Titan <span style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothi= ng: antialiased;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392060">(NASA/ESA/I= PGP/Labex UnivEarthS/University Paris Diderot)</span></span><h1 style=3D"bo= x-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0.5e= m; margin-bottom: 0.5rem; font-family: "Domaine Display Extra Bold&quo= t;, sans-serif; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.2; color: inherit;" id=3D"= yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392061">Saturn=E2=80=99s moon Titan has dus= t storms much like Earth</h1><h2 style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-f= ont-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; font-famil= y: inherit; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.42; color: inherit; font-size:= 1.1em;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392062">Like desert dust sto= rms on Earth, scientists find that huge storms whip up dust and dirt on Sat= urn=E2=80=99s biggest moon</h2></section><br style=3D"box-sizing: border-bo= x; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970= 208_392063"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: a= ntialiased; display: flex !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_153741697020= 8_392064"><div data-url=3D"https://www.salon.com/2018/09/25/saturns-moon-ti= tan-has-dust-storms-much-like-earth/" data-title=3D"Saturn=E2=80=99s moon T= itan has dust storms much like Earth" data-description=3D"Like desert dust = storms on Earth, scientists find that huge storms whip up dust and dirt on = Saturn=E2=80=99s biggest moon" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-fon= t-smoothing: antialiased;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392065"></= div><a href=3D"https://feedly.com/i/subscription/feed%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.s= alon.com%2Ffeed" target=3D"blank" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-= font-smoothing: antialiased; color: rgb(0, 123, 255); text-decoration-line:= none;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392066"><img src=3D"http://s3= .feedly.com/img/follows/feedly-follow-circle-flat-black_2x.png" alt=3D"foll= ow us in feedly" width=3D"32" height=3D"32" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box= ; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; vertical-align: middle;" id=3D"yui_3= _16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392067" data-id=3D"d1bb3306-e810-09fd-b884-2cecd= 0780c80"></a></div><section style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-s= moothing: antialiased; margin-bottom: 2em; padding: 0px 11px 0px 0px;" id= =3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392068"><h5 style=3D"box-sizing: border= -box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: = 0.5rem; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.2; color: rgb(238, 44, 29); fo= nt-size: 0.75em; text-transform: uppercase;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_153741= 6970208_392069"><a href=3D"https://www.salon.com/writer/keith_a_spencer" st= yle=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: = rgb(238, 44, 29); text-decoration-line: none;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537= 416970208_392070">KEITH A. SPENCER</a></h5><h6 style=3D"box-sizing: border-= box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0= .5rem; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.2; color: rgb(167, 169, 171); f= ont-size: 0.7em; text-transform: uppercase;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_153741= 6970208_392071">SEPTEMBER 25, 2018 10:27PM (UTC)</h6></section><article sty= le=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; line-hei= ght: 1.9em;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392072"><div style=3D"bo= x-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 20px= ; margin-bottom: 20px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392073">Vast = dust storms on Earth, like those that sweep over the <a href=3D"https:= //www.climate.gov/news-features/event-tracker/dust-sahara-desert-stretches-= across-tropical-atlantic-ocean-late" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webk= it-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: rgb(238, 44, 29); text-decoration-li= ne: none;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392074">Sahara</a> or= <a href=3D"https://www.salon.com/2011/07/22/haboob_arizona/" target= =3D"_blank" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antial= iased; color: rgb(238, 44, 29); text-decoration-line: none;" id=3D"yui_3_16= _0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392075">Arizona</a>, have little analogue in the so= lar system: only one other world, <a href=3D"https://www.salon.com/201= 8/06/21/trapped-in-planet-wide-dust-storm-nasas-opportunity-rover-still-awo= l/" target=3D"_blank" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothi= ng: antialiased; color: rgb(238, 44, 29); text-decoration-line: none;" id= =3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392076">Mars</a>, is known to have= comparable <a href=3D"https://www.salon.com/2018/06/21/trapped-in-pla= net-wide-dust-storm-nasas-opportunity-rover-still-awol/" target=3D"_blank" = style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color= : rgb(238, 44, 29); text-decoration-line: none;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_15= 37416970208_392077">dust storms</a>. That changes today, as a new scie= ntific paper <a href=3D"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-018-023= 3-2" target=3D"_blank" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smooth= ing: antialiased; color: rgb(238, 44, 29); text-decoration-line: none;" id= =3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392078">published</a> in Nature Ge= osciences revealed that dust storms routinely sweep across the surface of S= aturn=E2=80=99s large moon Titan.</div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box= ; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 20p= x;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392079">Pulling data from the Cas= sini spacecraft, which probed the Saturnian system for 13 years before = ;<a href=3D"https://www.salon.com/2017/09/15/cassini-spacecraft-crashes-int= o-saturn/" target=3D"_blank" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-= smoothing: antialiased; color: rgb(238, 44, 29); text-decoration-line: none= ;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392080">falling into Saturn=E2=80= =99s atmosphere</a> in September 2017, the paper=E2=80=99s co-authors = describe how a combination of =E2=80=9CCassini spectral data, radiative tra= nsfer modelling and atmospheric simulations=E2=80=9D led them to the conclu= sion that Cassini had observed a massive dust storm on Titan.</div><div sty= le=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-t= op: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_39208= 1">=E2=80=9CThe brightenings [that] originate in the atmosphere are consist= ent with formation from dust storms composed of micrometre-sized solid orga= nic particles mobilized from underlying dune fields,=E2=80=9D the scientist= s <a href=3D"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-018-0233-2" target= =3D"_blank" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antial= iased; color: rgb(238, 44, 29); text-decoration-line: none;" id=3D"yui_3_16= _0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392082">wrote</a> in Nature Geosciences.</div>= <div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;"= id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392083"><div style=3D"box-sizing: bo= rder-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_153= 7416970208_392084"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoot= hing: antialiased; min-height: 1px; overflow: hidden; position: relative;" = id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392085"><div data-instance-id=3D"mPeU= uYTocXs6g8SoTD_hp" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing:= antialiased; display: inline-block; overflow: hidden;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym= 19_1_1537416970208_392086"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-fo= nt-smoothing: antialiased;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392087"><= div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; p= osition: relative; clear: both; width: 726.656px; min-height: 409px;" id=3D= "yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392088"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-b= ox; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; ; top: 1em; width: 726.641px; z-in= dex: 100; text-align: center; min-height: 409px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1= 537416970208_392100"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smo= othing: antialiased; display: inline-block; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1e= m;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392101"><div style=3D"box-sizing:= border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: white; padding: 0.= 25em 1em; transform: translateY(-100%);" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970= 208_392102">Click for Sound <svg style=3D"color: tomato;" aria-hidden= =3D"true" data-prefix=3D"fas" data-icon=3D"volume-off" role=3D"img" xmlns= =3D"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox=3D"0 0 256 512" data-fa-i2svg=3D"" = id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392103"><path fill=3D"currentColor" d= =3D"M256 88.017v335.964c0 21.438-25.943 31.998-40.971 16.971L126.059 352H24= c-13.255 0-24-10.745-24-24V184c0-13.255 10.745-24 24-24h102.059l88.971-88.9= 54c15.01-15.01 40.97-4.49 40.97 16.971z" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970= 208_392104"></path></svg></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></= div><div data-google-query-id=3D"CM332cKs190CFcsWYgodkbkP_A" style=3D"box-s= izing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-align: center;= " id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392105"><div style=3D"box-sizing: b= order-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0pt none; margin: a= uto;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392106"><iframe title=3D"3rd pa= rty ad content" name=3D"google_ads_iframe_/1026302/article_page/in_article_= 3_0" width=3D"1" height=3D"1" scrolling=3D"no" marginwidth=3D"0" marginheig= ht=3D"0" frameborder=3D"0" sandbox=3D"allow-forms allow-pointer-lock allow-= popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-top-navigation-by-user-activat= ion" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; = max-width: 100%; display: block; margin: auto; border-width: 0px; border-st= yle: initial; vertical-align: bottom;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_153741697020= 8_392107"></iframe></div></div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webki= t-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px;" id= =3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392108">Titan has always been an unusua= l moon. Unlike most of the solar system=E2=80=99s large moons, it has a sub= stantial atmosphere that is largely comprised of nitrogen (like Earth=E2=80= =99s). Titan=E2=80=99s atmosphere is slightly denser than Earth=E2=80=99s a= tmosphere overall, but not so dense that it would crush an astronaut (like = Venus=E2=80=99s). In fact, at 1.45 atmospheres, an astronaut on Titan= who was suitably warm could survive with only an air-tight oxygen mask on,= with their skin exposed to the atmosphere without discomfort.</div><div cn= x-creative-type=3D"VideoMonetization" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -web= kit-font-smoothing: antialiased; padding-bottom: 10px; position: relative;"= id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392109"><div style=3D"box-sizing: bo= rder-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; ; background-color: rgba(0, = 0, 0, 0); left: 0px; top: 0px; width: 726.656px; min-height: 418.734px; cur= sor: pointer;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392110"></div><a href= =3D"https://www.salon.com/2018/09/25/saturns-moon-titan-has-dust-storms-muc= h-like-earth/link" data-islink=3D"true" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -w= ebkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: rgb(238, 44, 29); text-decoration= -line: none;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392111"><div cnx-video-= ratio=3D"16:9" cnx-video-width=3D"undefined" style=3D"box-sizing: border-bo= x; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;" id=3D"yui_3_16= _0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392112"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webk= it-font-smoothing: antialiased; padding-bottom: 408.734px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_= 0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392113"></div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; = -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; ; top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 726.656p= x; min-height: 408.734px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392114"><d= iv style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; ; = left: 0px; top: 0px; width: 726.656px; min-height: 408.734px;" id=3D"yui_3_= 16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392116"><cnx style=3D"box-sizing: initial; -webki= t-font-smoothing: antialiased; display: block; line-height: 1; font-family:= Arial; overflow: hidden; position: relative; min-height: 408.734px;" id=3D= "yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392117"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-b= ox; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; animation: resizeanim 1ms ease 0s = 1 normal none running; visibility: hidden; opacity: 0; content: " &quo= t;; ; top: 0px; left: 0px; min-height: 408.734px; width: 726.656px; overflo= w: hidden;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392118"><div style=3D"box= -sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; content: " &= quot;; ; top: 0px; left: 0px; min-height: 408.734px; width: 726.656px; over= flow: auto; background: rgb(238, 238, 238);" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_153741= 6970208_392119"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothin= g: antialiased; width: 728px; min-height: 410px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1= 537416970208_392120"></div></div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -web= kit-font-smoothing: antialiased; content: " "; ; top: 0px; left: = 0px; min-height: 408.734px; width: 726.656px; overflow: auto; background: r= gb(238, 238, 238);" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392121"></div></d= iv></cnx></div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing= : antialiased; animation: resizeanim 1ms ease 0s 1 normal none running; vis= ibility: hidden; opacity: 0; content: " "; ; top: 0px; left: 0px;= min-height: 408.734px; width: 726.656px; overflow: hidden;" id=3D"yui_3_16= _0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392122"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webk= it-font-smoothing: antialiased; content: " "; ; top: 0px; left: 0= px; min-height: 408.734px; width: 726.656px; overflow: auto; background: rg= b(238, 238, 238);" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392123"><div style= =3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; width: 728= px; min-height: 410px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392124"></div= ></div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antial= iased; content: " "; ; top: 0px; left: 0px; min-height: 408.734px= ; width: 726.656px; overflow: auto; background: rgb(238, 238, 238);" id=3D"= yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392125"></div></div></div></div></a></div><= div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; m= argin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_153741697020= 8_392126">Titan=E2=80=99s dense atmosphere is partly to blame for these sto= rms. Obviously, in order for dust to blow around, you need wind, and in ord= er to have wind, you need to have a dense enough atmosphere to kick up soli= d particulates on the surface. These two components come together more rare= ly than you might think: Venus has an immensely dense atmosphere, but = its surface is so hot there=E2=80=99s probably not much dust that hasn=E2= =80=99t been vaporized or melted down to rock. The moon has plenty of silty= dirt on its surface, but hardly an atmosphere to speak of (nor wind). The = gas giants have thick atmospheres but no solid surface geography with dunes= or dirt. Titan, Earth and Mars are in a class of their own.</div><div styl= e=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin-to= p: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392127= "><br></div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: a= ntialiased; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1= _1537416970208_392130">Scientists had speculated previously that there may = be Titanian dust storms; notably, when the Huygens lander touched down on T= itan=E2=80=99s surface, the probe observed dust spew up in its wake fo= r several seconds, something that the scientists note in the paper.</d= iv><div data-google-query-id=3D"CM732cKs190CFcsWYgodkbkP_A" style=3D"box-si= zing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-align: center;"= id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392131"><div style=3D"box-sizing: bo= rder-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0pt none; margin: au= to;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392132"><iframe title=3D"3rd par= ty ad content" name=3D"google_ads_iframe_/1026302/article_page/in_article_o= utstream_0" width=3D"100%" height=3D"424.6509433962264" scrolling=3D"no" ma= rginwidth=3D"0" marginheight=3D"0" frameborder=3D"0" sandbox=3D"allow-forms= allow-pointer-lock allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-top-= navigation-by-user-activation" data-integralas-id-2206965e-6a56-29ad-473d-7= 40dee13707c=3D"" data-load-complete=3D"true" style=3D"box-sizing: border-bo= x; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; max-width: 100%; display: block; ma= rgin: auto; border-width: 0px; border-style: initial; vertical-align: botto= m;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392133"></iframe></div></div><div= style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; marg= in-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_3= 92134">The discovery of large-scale dust storms on Titan has implications f= or all kinds of different scientific fields, from geology and meteorology t= o geophysics and astrobiology. =E2=80=9CBesides Earth and Mars, Titan would= thus be the only other body in the Solar System where dust storms and aeol= ian activity over dune fields have been observed, indicating the complexity= of the atmospheric dynamics and atmosphere=E2=80=93surface interactions at= play on Saturn=E2=80=99s largest moon,=E2=80=9D the scientists note in the= paper.</div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: = antialiased; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_= 1_1537416970208_392135">Notably, Titan=E2=80=99s geology may be quite alien= compared to Earth=E2=80=99s (or Mars), in part because its lakes and river= s are not comprised of water but rather hydrocarbons like methane and ethan= e. Like water on Earth, the hydrocarbons on Titan exhibit a similar meteoro= logical cycle, in which they move between being clouds, rain, and bodies of= liquid on the surface.</div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-= font-smoothing: antialiased;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392136"= ></div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antial= iased;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392137"></div><div plid=3D"17= 880" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;"= id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392138"><div style=3D"box-sizing: bo= rder-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin: 0px 0px 18px; width:= 726.656px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(229, 230, 230); border-bottom: 1px so= lid rgb(229, 230, 230); box-shadow: none; padding: 18px 0px 13px;" id=3D"yu= i_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392139"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box;= -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; float: left; width: 326.984px;" id=3D= "yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392140"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-b= ox; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: rgb(238, 44, 29); text-deco= ration-line: none; max-width: 100%; background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !importa= nt; max-height: none !important; width: 326.984px !important; min-height: 2= 20.438px !important; cursor: pointer !important; position: relative !import= ant; float: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !importan= t; border: 0px none rgb(238, 44, 29) !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1= 537416970208_392142"><div data-auction-id=3D"180009609470226322860" data-vi= deo-context=3D"inline" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smooth= ing: antialiased; !important; max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; width: 32= 6.984px !important; min-height: 220.438px !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym1= 9_1_1537416970208_392143"><a href=3D"https://www.salon.com/2018/09/25/satur= ns-moon-titan-has-dust-storms-much-like-earth/" target=3D"_blank" id=3D"yui= _3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392141"><div style=3D"box-sizing: content-box = !important; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; display: inline !important= ; padding: 0px !important; border: 0px !important; margin: 0px !important; = float: none !important; outline: none !important; object-fit: fill !importa= nt; !important; width: 326.969px; min-height: 220.438px; top: 0px !importa= nt; right: 0px !important; z-index: 1000000000 !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_= 0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392144"></div></a><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-b= ox; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; !important; width: 326.969px; min= -height: 220.438px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto;" id=3D= "yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392145"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-b= ox; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; ; z-index: 99;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_y= m19_1_1537416970208_392146"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-f= ont-smoothing: antialiased; ;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392147= "><iframe sandbox=3D"allow-forms allow-pointer-lock allow-popups allow-same= -origin allow-scripts allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation allow-popups-= to-escape-sandbox" src=3D"https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.236= .0_en.html#goog_473845215" allowfullscreen=3D"" allow=3D"autoplay" style=3D= "box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; max-width: 10= 0%; display: block; margin: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: initial; = opacity: 0; padding: 0px; position: relative;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537= 416970208_392148"></iframe><a href=3D"https://www.salon.com/2018/09/25/satu= rns-moon-titan-has-dust-storms-much-like-earth/" target=3D"_blank" id=3D"yu= i_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392160" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -web= kit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration= -line: none; background-color: rgb(238, 44, 29); font-family: Poppins, sans= -serif; font-weight: 700; text-transform: uppercase; font-size: 12px; paddi= ng: 5px 14px;">ORE =E2=86=92</a></div></div></div></div></div></div><div st= yle=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; clear: = both;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392161"></div></div></div><div= style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; marg= in-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px;" dir=3D"ltr" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_153= 7416970208_392162">That this discovery was made long after the Cassini prob= e had disintegrated illustrates how the rich scientific data from these kin= ds of missions can result in scientific discovery for years to come. Curren= tly, there are no confirmed future missions to Titan, though a <a href= =3D"http://dragonfly.jhuapl.edu/" target=3D"_blank" style=3D"box-sizing: bo= rder-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: rgb(238, 44, 29); tex= t-decoration-line: none;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1537416970208_392163">pro= posed mission</a> called =E2=80=9CDragonfly=E2=80=9D would land a smal= l drone on the surface, which would fly around and make observations.<= /div></article></div></section></section></div></body></html> ------=_Part_2564190_92678900.1537919628275--