Detailed mapping of the Soi crater region on Titan: implications on the surface composition and landscape evolution - INSU - Institut national des sciences de l'Univers Accéder directement au contenu
Communication Dans Un Congrès Année : 2022

Detailed mapping of the Soi crater region on Titan: implications on the surface composition and landscape evolution

Résumé

We have performed detailed geomorphological mapping and constrained compositional trends of an area we call the 'Soi crater region' (0° to 60°N and 180°W to -110°W), which covers almost 1/10th of Titan's global surface and encompasses the boundaries between the equatorial regions, the mid-latitudes, and extends into the high northern latitudes of Titan. For the geomorphological mapping we used Cassini SAR data and a well-known methodology that was used to map other vast regions on Titan, such as the Afekan crater region [1], the South Belet region [2], and the global geomorphological map of Titan [3], while also including non-SAR mapping, that makes use of lower resolution datasets such as ISS, VIMS, radiometry, and HiSAR in order to provide a more complete picture of Titan's surface characteristics. For the VIMS analysis, we selected more than 200 regions of interest, which we analyzed using a radiative transfer technique [4] and a mixing model that includes an extended library of Titan candidate materials [5]. We find that plains are the dominant unit in Titan's mid latitudes, covering 2/3 of the mapped area, while dune units make up around 15% and the highland units 12%. Mountainous units are identified as the oldest, dune units and streak-like plains are the youngest in addition to the rampart units that surround some of the mid-latitude lakes, while undifferentiated plains are of intermediate age. The radiative transfer analysis showed that the major constituents covering the Soi crater region's top surface layer are compatible with water ice and organic alkane, alkene and alkyle-like stretch materials compatible to tholin-like materials and what was mentioned in previous studies as the 'dark organic material' [5]. Combined information from the geomorphology and the compositional constrains suggests that sedimentary deposits, likely aeolian, are dominant in the region with a major fluvial event or smaller repeated fluvial events changing the nature of the top surfaces of the midlatitude areas of the Soi crater region [6]. We discuss origin and evolution hypotheses for the region's geology. [1] Schoenfeld, A., et al. (2021). Icarus, 366, 114-130. [2] Malaska, M., et al. (2016). Icarus, 270, 130-161. [3] Lopes, R.M.C., et al. (2020). Nature Astronomy, 4, 228-233. [4] Solomonidou, A., et al. (2014). JGR: Planets, 119, 1729-1747. [5] Solomonidou, A., et al. (2020). Astronomy & Astrophysics, 641, A16. [6] Solomonidou, A., et al. (2022). In preparation.
Fichier non déposé

Dates et versions

insu-03959727 , version 1 (27-01-2023)

Identifiants

Citer

Anezina Solomonidou, Ashley M. Schoenfeld, Michael J. Malaska, Rosaly M. C. Lopes, Athena Coustenis, et al.. Detailed mapping of the Soi crater region on Titan: implications on the surface composition and landscape evolution. 44th COSPAR Scientific Assembly, Jul 2022, Athens, Greece. ⟨insu-03959727⟩
22 Consultations
0 Téléchargements

Partager

Gmail Facebook X LinkedIn More