Mulitple Origins of Sand Dune-Topography Interactions on Titan

Abstract:

The interaction between sand dune patterns and topographic obstacles is a primary signal of sand transport direction in the equatorial region of Saturn’s moon, Titan. The streamlined, tear drop appearance of the sand-dune patterns as they wrap around obstacles and a dune-free zone on the east side of many obstacles gives the impression that sand transport is from the west to east at equatorial latitudes. However, the physical mechanism behind the dune-obstacle interaction is not well explained, leaving a gap in our understanding of the equatorial sand transport and implied wind directions and magnitudes on Titan. In order to better understand this interaction and evaluate wind and sand transport direction, we use morphometric analysis of optical images on Earth and Cassini SAR images on Titan combined with analog wind tunnel experiments to study dune-topography interactions. Image analysis is performed in a GIS environment to map spatial variations in dune crestline orientations proximal to obstacles. We also use digital elevation models to and analyze the three-dimensional geometry – height, length, width and slope of the dune-topography relationships on Earth.

Preliminary results show that dune patterns are deflected similarly around positive, neutral, or negative topography, where positive topography is greater than the surrounding dune height, neutral topography is at dune height and negative topography is lower than dune heights. In the latter case these are typically intra-dune field playas. The obstacle height, width, slope and wind variability appear to play a primary role in determining if a lee-dune, rather than a dune-free lee-zone, develops. In many cases a dune-free playa with evaporite and mud desiccation polygons forms lee-ward of the obstacle. To support and elaborate on the mapping and spatial characterization of dune-topography interactions, a series of experiments using a wind tunnel were conducted. Wind tunnel experiments examine the formation of linear, longitudinal ballistic ripples in the presence of obstacles of different shapes. We vary obstacle height, length, and width ratios to test how ripples will respond to topography. Initial experiments established a linear, longitudinal ripple pattern and well-simulated dune pattern-obstacle interactions.