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Cassini scientist Jonathan Lunine, from the University of Arizona (Tucson) says, "We've long hypothesized about oceans on Titan and now with multiple instruments we have a first indication of seas that dwarf the lakes seen previously." [NASA]

The Cassini spacecraft has imaged with radar, visual, and infrared instruments many dark features near the north polar region of Titan. Although smaller images have been produced in the past, some of these titanic features measure at least 39,000 square miles (101,000 square kilometers) in surface area. As a comparison, the combined surface area of the Great Lakes in North America is approximately 94,240 square miles (244,100 square kilometers).

And, they potentially could be very much larger than this measurement since only a portion of each feature was actually imaged. One such area could be as large as the Caspian Sea, which is the largest sea (by area) on Earth. It has an area of 143,244 square miles (371,000 square kilometers).

Although confirmation that the Titan seas contain any liquid has not yet been confirmed, scientists are strongly suggesting that they do in fact contain some type of liquid. This suggestion is based on their physical features, such as shape and dark, smooth appearance. Cassini scientists think that the liquids are methane and ethane because they already know that Titan’s atmosphere is made up of a lot of methane and ethane gases.

Scientists are excited to find such discoveries on Titan because it supports their theory that the surface and atmosphere of Titan circulate methane and ethane in liquid and gas form—just like Earth circulates water between its land and water surfaces and its atmosphere.

In order to verify these discoveries, the Cassini spacecraft will fly over this northern pole portion of Titan in May 2007 so that it can photograph the entire area in question. Besides these titan seas, Cassini has also discovered smaller lakes that dot the surface of Titan.

For additional information about the Cassini mission, go to the February 4, 2007 ITwire article “NASA Cassini spacecraft photographs cloud system on Saturn’s moon Titan”.

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Astronomy  Climate  Earth  NASA  Research  Science  Solar system  Space  William Atkins