Science and Space

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New Findings on Titan

Saturn’s planet-size moon Titan has long intrigued researchers because it is surrounded by a thick blanket of nitrogen and methane. Until recently, scientists believed the most likely explanation for the methane was the presence of a methane-rich sea of hydrocarbons. The Huygens probe and its mother ship, Cassini, have offered evidence against that theory.

Titan’s clouds are made from molecules that include carbon and nitrogen — compounds generated in photochemical smog and circulated by rain and the atmosphere, the researchers reported. They said there was no reason to believe Titan’s methane is a product of biological activity.

Yet more methane is appearing constantly and may burst from ice volcanos or fall as rain, researchers said, describing riverbed and drainage channels.

Scientists described the moon’s freezing temperatures: 290 degrees below zero on the surface. The atmosphere has distinct layers and may offer evidence of lightning.

Titan’s smoggy atmosphere may be similar to that of the primordial Earth, and scientists believe that studying it could provide clues to how life began.

posted by: kyawoo at 20:14 | link | comments |
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