ICY SCIENCE: SCIENCE SPACE ASTRONOMY Spring 2014 | Page 46

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Other surface features include, dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low alt

these are moved about by winds. Titan also has volcanoes, which are known as cryo

noes. Unlike Earth,Titan does not have magma rising up through the ground and sp
out lava. On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water, ammonia or methane.
Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions.

Weather On Titan

In many ways Titan is similar to Earth. It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lak

rivers; it also has seasons and weather systems. However this is all done at much lowe
peratures than here on Earth.

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane. On Titan there is a methane based w
system; it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth.

The circulation system can be compared to Earths. Titan has also been described as tr

Strange? This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of me

The seasons on Titan are long, lasting about 7 years, it receives about 100 times less su

than Earth; however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere. The atmos
responds much slower than here on Earth.

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from C
and have found Titan has natural electrical activity.

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may b
sible that life may evolve on Titan.

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 3.5
ICY SCIENCE | QTR 2 SPRING 2014