Lakes on Titan may suddenly explode
Source:
some methane lakes height of the surrounding rim reaches several hundred meters
Titan — the largest moon , which proved the existence of liquid. Unique outer body has a dense atmosphere, which consists mainly of nitrogen, and on the surface of this distant world from the Sun, consisting of water ice and sediments, always the lowest temperature is 170-180 degrees Celsius. Modern astrophysicists believe that Titan is very similar to the Earth in the early stages of development, which suggests that in cold waters of this satellite is the probability of the existence of the simplest forms of life. However, according to new research, a hypothetical life on Titan may be subjected to constant danger of being destroyed due to unusual features of the local atanova-methane reservoirs.
How to look at the methane lakes on Titan?
Thanks to the latest data obtained from NASA spacecraft “”, scientists have a new scenario which explains the appearance of a high “rim” around the lakes filled . According to some versions, the Titan can constantly blasts of heated nitrogen, which created pools of liquid gases in the crust of Saturn's moon. In 1995, the telescope, confirmed the theory of the existence of methane in liquid form on the surface of a space satellite.
Currently, Titan is the only solid body in our Solar system, where, besides Earth, has stable liquid on the surface. However, if on Earth the role of the base fluid, feeding all life is water, on Titan, this is the role of hydrocarbons — methane and ethane. The majority of the currently existing models that could explain the origin of the lakes of Titan, to prove that liquid methane can dissolve the bedrock ice and hard deposits of organic compounds, forming reservoirs, which are filled with fluid. Ponds formed in this way on Earth and dissolving the surrounding limestone, called karst lakes.
There are also alternative models that explain the emergence of some small lakes, completely refute the underlying theory. So, a new alternative model suggests the existence of liquid nitrogen into the hot crust of Titan, capable of becoming explosive gas, exploding craters, which then filled with liquid methane. The newest model is able to fully explain why some small lakes near Titan's North pole such as Winnipeg Lakus, has a very steep edge, which strongly dominate the sea level. Edges that are clearly visible on radar images, it is difficult are explained by the theory of karst model.
Radar images confirmed the morphology of some lakes, which was most likely the result of a powerful explosion.
According to radar data were collected using the Cassini Saturn Orbiter during the mission carried out by the jet propulsion Laboratory of NASA in California. During his final approach to Titan when the ship was preparing for its final immersion in the atmosphere of Saturn, the team was able to create images through which they received new data on the morphological peculiarities of the Satellite. The expedition learned that in addition to theory on the nitrogen explosions, there are at least another idea of the origin of such high rims around the lakes, taking into account seasonal climatic changes on Titan.
According to scientists, over the last half a billion years, the methane in Titan's atmosphere acted as a greenhouse gas that kept the atmosphere of the satellite is relatively warm. The result of this phenomenon, the satellite experienced several periods of cooling and warming, since methane is depleted under the influence of solar energy, and then again filled. In colder periods a nitrogen dominated atmosphere, appearing in the form of ice, and then gathering in puddles that were below the surface. When advancing warmer periods, liquid nitrogen is turned into steam, slowly eroding the crater and again, provoking an explosion on the surface of the satellite.
Recommended
The Americans on the moon: what everyone should know?
the Upcoming cosmonautics day is my favorite holiday. It marks the triumph of the human mind: in just four thousand years Homo Sapiens went from hunter-gatherers to space explorers. 12 April 1961 Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man in ...
Why are some galaxies spiral shaped?
you Know what surprised me the most? The fact that we perceive the surrounding world as it is. Animals, plants, the laws of physics and the cosmos are perceived by many people as something so mundane and boring that they invent fairies, ghosts, monst...
Astronomers were able to see the death of another star system
In the cosmic ocean drifts a lot of mysteries about the existence of which we are unaware. One of these was uncovered five years ago, when astronomers have discovered a lonely star at a distance of 570 light years from Earth, the brightness of which ...
Related News
How small can a black hole be?
In the universe there may exist a new class of black holes the First that comes to mind when thinking about black hole, lurking somewhere in the depths of our galaxy, is almost always a kind of giant space monster that consumes ev...
The researchers found a possible cause of the Big Bang
According to a new study, the emergence of the Universe could trigger a supernova explosion As you know, our immense was born 14.5 billion years ago in the Big Bang. Despite the fact that we already know a lot about how it appeare...
It is now official: NASA has announced the interstellar mission
Interstellar space hides many secrets of the Universe Humanity is fascinated with space and opportunity to go there. Just thinking about the possible conquest of other planets and makes our hearts beat faster. And yet, we send int...
According to experts of NASA, beyond Earth need to search for unusual forms of life
Some scientists believe that in the first place is to look for microbes Kaneyama aliens? Why not! Experts at the American space Agency NASA believe we should not only think about those life forms that we know. According to some re...
How many people can live on the moon?
New project, developed by experts from ESA, can help in the colonization of our natural satellite currently, the Earth is home to 7 billion people, some of whom have set an ambitious goal — once to resettle humanity in the n...
Can the new particle to change the fate of the Universe?
Hypothetical particle can change the fate of the Universe Everyone knows that the universe is constantly expanding, but nobody knows how fast she does it. Since then, as our universe originated in the explosion of a tiny speck, wh...
Want to see the real size of the Universe? Now you have the opportunity
are you Ready to take a little space trip? How often do you think about how much our big? In our everyday life is hardly each of us often do nothing about it says — after all, what good does it do if most people on the plane...
How to find a wormhole in our galaxy?
In our galaxy could be hiding a huge amount of wormhole As the portal , wormholes — one of the main ideas of science fiction — can be quite real objects. Surprisingly, the bridge between two points in space and time to...
Will the Sun one day become a black hole?
in 5 billion years could begin the process of dying of our star. once Everything comes to an end. Our Sun in this regard is no exception: after about 5 billion years after you reading this article, our star suddenly swell to the s...
Comet Borisov carries water from another solar system
So the comet Borisov looks on the photo Recently we told you about our Solar system — the comet Borisov. The researchers said that the comet Borisov looks no different from the comets that travel through our Solar system, th...
In the Solar system found a new planet
Gigeya a Dwarf planet located in the asteroid belt. Researchers from the European southern Observatory have confirmed the existence of the smallest planet of the Solar system — Hygeia, which is located between Jupiter and Ma...
Hubble took a picture of the giant scary face that stares back at us from deep space
Sinister outer face is looking at you Remember if any of our readers scare the public in the 1980-ies of the photo of the “face on Mars”? Today everyone knows that the face on Mars turned out due to “work” the Martian wind, water ...
Telescope to search for dark energy will observe millions of galaxies 35
Observatory at Kitt Peak Astronomers Observatory at Kitt Peak, located in Arizona, USA, commenced the most detailed observations of the Universe ever taken. Observations will last for five years, their main goal — to obtain ...
The strangest things that has ever launched a man into space
In 2009, the space was 878 25 sent text messages to locate their aliens of Course, the journey of people into space much more impressive than sending in the vast space of dirt from the stadium or, for example, the lightsaber of Lu...
Rover VIPER — the latest development of NASA to colonize the moon
3D-visualisation of the Rover on the moon the Moon — Earth's natural satellite and the most likely place in our Solar system for the colonization of his humanity. The important resources for a potential colony of the future ...
Is it possible to catch the comet?
3D rendering of the landing of Rosetta on the comet surface has always sought the unknown: it is not scary nor a bottomless abyss of space, nor the darkest corners of the oceans. Thirst for discovery forces us to tread, even in t...
Man will destroy the space as well as and destroyed everything else
space Exploration may not be as rosy as we think about it On our planet, conflicts between States, the struggle for resources, territory and the economic benefits have become almost the norm. And, quite possibly, space exploration...
A collision of neutron stars forms a strontium — the element heavier than iron
Neutron star quanta collapse into the dark space monsters Space — the greatest mystery that you can imagine. Its open spaces are born, collide, and die, galaxies, stars and other celestial objects. Today, scientists know abo...
Received the wave from the supernova explosion, which occurred 30 years ago
image taken with a telescope eRosita Not so long ago we told you about the massive explosion and that dying, these stars emit into space , necessary for the development and the origin of life. Recently, scientists have discovered ...
How to look for exoplanets orbiting cool stars?
Landscape exoplanets an artist's concept of One of the most common objects in the Universe are stars — red dwarfs or M stars. Despite its color, red dwarfs emit red and yellow light, the intensity of which sometimes 10,000 t...
Comments (0)
This article has no comment, be the first!