MadSci Network: Astronomy
Query:

Re: Are there tides on Titan's seas?

Date: Thu Mar 29 01:43:59 2007
Posted By: Nial Tanvir, Faculty, Astrophysics
Area of science: Astronomy
ID: 1174179142.As
Message:

The huge mass of Saturn exerts significant tidal forces on Titan which, as you say, mean that this 
moon (like our own, and many others in the Solar System) has slowed its rotation until it is tidally 
locked - always showing the same face towards Saturn.   However, even in these circumstances the 
tides continue to have some dynamical effect, for example the force varies due to the elliptical orbit 
of Titan.  For that reason, any large bodies of liquid will exhibit at least small tides.  Although we 
know there are large lakes on Titan (probably mainly methane and ethane) we don't know the full 
extent of the larger seas: the larger they are, the bigger the tidal effect will be.  However, the 
Cassini radar only has a vertical resolution of about 100 m, so it would be very difficult to measure 
any tidal variation of the seas, which would be no more than a few meters, directly, and as far as I'm 
aware there isn't any such evidence. 




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