DISSOLUTION AS A GEOMORPHOLOGICAL PROCESS ON TITAN: A LANDSCAPE EVOLUTION MODEL. C. Fleurant1, O. Bourgeois2, T. Cornet3, S. Le Mouélic2. 1 LETG - UMR CNRS 6554, Université d’Angers, UFR Sciences, 2 bd Lavoisier, 49045 Angers Cedex 01, France, 2 LPGNantes - UMR CNRS 6112, OSUNA, Université de Nantes, 2 rue de la Houssinière, 44322 Nantes Cedex, France, 3 European Space Agency, European Space Astronomy Centre, P.O. BOX 78, Villanueva de la Cañada (Madrid), Spain. (
[email protected]). The main objective of the study is to understand the processes of genesis and the evolution of dissolution landforms recently discovered on Titan (Saturn’s largest moon) by comparison with a terrestrial analogue (Figure 1). Our work includes morphological mapping on Titan and on the Earth, use of remotely sensed images and topographic data (SRTM DEM, ASTER, RADAR SAR images acquired by the Cassini orbiter), morphometric analyses and the implementation of a Landscape Evolution Model (Figure 2). The strengths and originalities of this study include both the comparative morphometric analysis 2D/3D of landscapes on Titan and the Earth, the use of a Landscape Evolution Model and provides an opportunity to indirectly access to Titan’s surface chemical and physical properties - which are currently hardly reachable through direct measurements - by comparing landscape geometries on Titan and on the Earth.
Figure 1: Polygonal kasrt-like terrain in Sikun Figure 2: 3D numerical simulation of a Labyrinthus, Titan (T039 RADAR SAR image, left). cockpit karst landscape controlled by Cockpit karst terrain, Barbecue Bottom, Jamaica dissolution processes. (Satellite image, right).
