Astronomer studies the
possibility of the origin of cyclones over the surface of the largest moon of
Saturn - Titan, indicating some similarities to the weather with the Earth.
Saturn's moon Titan, whose surface is so cold that methane falls on her in the
form of rain in the summer raises its temperature so that makes it possible for
cyclone zipping above the seas. Marine evaporation is able to generate enough
energy to produce wind, moving at a speed of 70 kilometers per hour. However,
the formation of cyclones totally depends on what is the chemical composition
of the seas of Titan.
If more than half the
volume of the ocean is with methane, then this chemical recipe will be enough
for the emergence of the whole storm. The next step astronomers - take pictures
of the storm with a spacecraft "Cassini", which is currently
overflying of Saturn and its moons.
Study report current
should appear in the April issue of the journal "Icarus".
Methane mystery
Cyclones occur on
Earth, most of them in two ways. The first, which is not possible on Titan due
to insufficient temperature difference occurs when the collision of warm and
cold fronts. Warm and cold streams twist around each other, thus generating
winds moving at great speed.
The second option is
when the heat coming from the surface water warms the air, causing it to soar,
creating, thus, energy cycle, which produces jet streams winds. Continuation of
the cycle leads to rotating storms. This option is quite possible for the
Titan.
These winds can occur
only over those seas of Titan, which lay in the middle latitudes the moon's
surface, where there is a suitable combination of temperature and humidity.
Tokay says the only difficulty in this case is that scientists do not know the
exact chemical composition of the seas of Titan.
"There is great
uncertainty about the composition, in addition, the satellite can potentially
contain many types of hydrocarbons," he said. Despite this, if most of the
Seas is methane, they are able to devote enough energy for the occurrence of
cyclones. Methane is the only liquid on Titan's surface, which can be condensed
like water on Earth.
Detection is not a
problem
Prior to that time,
"Cassini" has not fixed the cyclone on Titan, as the temperatures in
the northern part of the satellite are too low (the average temperature of the
surface of Titan - minus 178 ° C). Summer Titan comes only in 2015, after which
the "Cassini" will remain for another two years to complete all the
research operations.
Signs of the cyclone
should be obvious, so the problems with its detection should arise. If cyclones
will show up, then we will observe a large release of energy throughout the
storm area (about 100 km).
Given the resolution of
the instrument "Cassini", an apparatus for detecting the cyclone need
to fly up close enough to the surface of the moon, said current. In the
interval 2015-2017 planned several close flybys of Titan.
It
is difficult to predict what will give us the knowledge discovery cyclone, however,
according to the current; it will give us an idea of the temperature
difference in the northern hemisphere satellite between summer and winter.
"These results near the reality, a few of the climate conditions of the
Earth and Titan are the same," adds the current.
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