Hydrocarbon lakes on Titan - Alex Hayes (SETI Talks)

SETI Talks archive: http://seti.org/talks

Observations of Titan's polar regions reveal hydrocarbon lakes with morphologies and scales similar to terrestrial counterparts. The global distribution, topography, and seasonal variability of these lacustrine features are used to study volatile transport in Titan's hydrologic cycle. This seminar will review recent observations made by the Cassini RADAR and discuss the constraints they place on the nature of the lakes, their role in Titan's methane cycle, and their evolution over both seasonal and orbital timescales.

• Category

  Science & Technology

[HughFromAlice]

Alex's talk was a tour de force. Like a concert pianist playing a difficult allegro passage from Listz! Had to concentrate hard but really enjoyed it!

As Northern summer approaches on Titan it will be interesting to see if those predicted equinox winds create waves on the lakes which can be measured by radar. Or maybe tholin heavy slushes?

IMO this is very interesting stuff ref prebiotic materials... and on to possible life.

Hey, do we get a VIMS person to balance things out?

☁☁☁☁☁⁙.Hᴜɢʜ.TU..ツ

[setiinstitute]

Yes, we have Larry Esposito on March 14, although he is talking about Rings ...

[Zurround100]

I know this is a common complaint of mine but I am interested in LIFE on other worlds, no life on Titan.

[setiinstitute]

For the possibility of Life on Titan, google "SETI Talks Chris McKay"

[Snowwie88]

Surface wind speeds may be low, but atmospheric pressure is at least 1,5x Earths'. That wind has more effect on the surface than it on Earth would. I hope they launch Time, and not to be included with TSSM, because TSSM will not be launched before the 2020s, maybe even later. Time could be at Titan around 2023, that's more acceptable. I am very curious how a liquid (m)ethane lake would look like? And how this ethane behaves in liquid form. Volatile or viscous? Transparent or Translucent?

[la2bkk]

Informative, but a bit too technical for the average non-specialist. Titan is a fascinating moon, however less jargon would result in more wide ranging appeal, which I presume is a goal of these public lectures.

[andre lecoz]

all his science speak translated to me understanding nothing ><

[BigVtheVanity]

nice video.

[sonicase]

Good talk :)