Titan's Aerosols and Wave Damping on Seas
Résumé
Titan, the enigmatic large moon of Saturn, is the unique satellite of the solar system surrounded by a dense atmosphere. Thick layers of photochem-ical organic aerosols shroud the surface, and particles sediment to the ground. In polar regions, large lakes and seas of liquid hydrocarbons have been discovered by Cassini/Huygens mission. Together with other atmospheric products like large molecules and "organic snows", haze aerosols particles sediment above the Titan's seas region. These materials run into liquid bodies where they can form floating slicks. This scenario is discussed and we show that a deposited layer, floating at a marine surface may have major consequences, particularly on the wave formation. Titan's hydrocarbons seas appear as a place much more favorable to wave damping, due to the presence of a slick, than Earth ocean, where such a phenomenon is observed. This properties is compared to Cassini radar observations, which have revealed surprisingly smooth ocean surfaces.
Domaines
Planète et Univers [physics]
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