Publication Abstracts

Lorenz et al. 2006

Lorenz, R.D., S. Wall, J. Radebaugh, G. Boubin, E. Reffet, M. Janssen, E. Stofan, R. Lopes, R. Kirk, C. Elachi, J. Lunine, K. Mitchell, F. Paganelli, L. Soderblom, C. Wood, L. Wye, H. Zebker, Y. Anderson, S. Ostro, M. Allison, R. Boehmer, P. Callahan, P. Encrenaz, G.G. Ori, G. Francescetti, Y. Gim, G. Hamilton, S. Hensley, W. Johnson, K. Kelleher, D. Muhleman, G. Picardi, F. Posa, L. Roth, R. Seu, S. Shaffer, B. Stiles, S. Vetrella, E. Flamini, and R. West, 2006: The sand seas of Titan: Cassini RADAR observations of longitudinal dunes. Science, 312, 724-727, doi:10.1126/science.1123257.

The most recent Cassini RADAR images of Titan show widespread regions (up to 1500 kilometers by 200 kilometers) of near-parallel radar-dark linear features that appear to be seas of longitudinal dunes similar to those seen in the Namib desert on Earth. The Ku-band (2.17-centimeter wavelength) images show ∼100-meter ridges consistent with duneforms and reveal flow interactions with underlying hills. The distribution and orientation of the dunes support a model of fluctuating surface winds of ∼0.5 meter per second resulting from the combination of an eastward flow with a variable tidal wind. The existence of dunes also requires geological processes that create sand-sized (100- to 300-micrometer) particulates and a lack of persistent equatorial surface liquids to act as sand traps.

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BibTeX Citation

@article{lo05000n,
  author={Lorenz, R. D. and Wall, S. and Radebaugh, J. and Boubin, G. and Reffet, E. and Janssen, M. and Stofan, E. and Lopes, R. and Kirk, R. and Elachi, C. and Lunine, J. and Mitchell, K. and Paganelli, F. and Soderblom, L. and Wood, C. and Wye, L. and Zebker, H. and Anderson, Y. and Ostro, S. and Allison, M. and Boehmer, R. and Callahan, P. and Encrenaz, P. and Ori, G. G. and Francescetti, G. and Gim, Y. and Hamilton, G. and Hensley, S. and Johnson, W. and Kelleher, K. and Muhleman, D. and Picardi, G. and Posa, F. and Roth, L. and Seu, R. and Shaffer, S. and Stiles, B. and Vetrella, S. and Flamini, E. and West, R.},
  title={The sand seas of Titan: Cassini RADAR observations of longitudinal dunes},
  year={2006},
  journal={Science},
  volume={312},
  pages={724--727},
  doi={10.1126/science.1123257},
}

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RIS Citation

TY  - JOUR
ID  - lo05000n
AU  - Lorenz, R. D.
AU  - Wall, S.
AU  - Radebaugh, J.
AU  - Boubin, G.
AU  - Reffet, E.
AU  - Janssen, M.
AU  - Stofan, E.
AU  - Lopes, R.
AU  - Kirk, R.
AU  - Elachi, C.
AU  - Lunine, J.
AU  - Mitchell, K.
AU  - Paganelli, F.
AU  - Soderblom, L.
AU  - Wood, C.
AU  - Wye, L.
AU  - Zebker, H.
AU  - Anderson, Y.
AU  - Ostro, S.
AU  - Allison, M.
AU  - Boehmer, R.
AU  - Callahan, P.
AU  - Encrenaz, P.
AU  - Ori, G. G.
AU  - Francescetti, G.
AU  - Gim, Y.
AU  - Hamilton, G.
AU  - Hensley, S.
AU  - Johnson, W.
AU  - Kelleher, K.
AU  - Muhleman, D.
AU  - Picardi, G.
AU  - Posa, F.
AU  - Roth, L.
AU  - Seu, R.
AU  - Shaffer, S.
AU  - Stiles, B.
AU  - Vetrella, S.
AU  - Flamini, E.
AU  - West, R.
PY  - 2006
TI  - The sand seas of Titan: Cassini RADAR observations of longitudinal dunes
JA  - Science
VL  - 312
SP  - 724
EP  - 727
DO  - 10.1126/science.1123257
ER  -

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