22
August 2002
Solar system: Blowing in the wind
The surface of Saturn's moon Titan is hidden from view by a thick haze that has been compared to the photochemical smogs of Los Angeles and Mexico City. The atmosphere is rich in nitrogen and contains a few per cent methane. Current models of Titan's atmospheric circulation fail to explain the observed features of the haze, but a new model can, by coupling haze formation with atmospheric dynamics. The haze is, in effect, wind-powered.
A wind origin for Titan's haze structure
P. RANNOU, F. HOURDIN & C. P. MCKAY
Nature
418, 853–856 (2002); doi:10.1038/nature00961
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Planetary science: Smog report
ROBERT
E. SAMUELSON
The hazy atmosphere surrounding Titan, Saturn's largest satellite,
changes with the seasons. New theoretical work suggests how the motion of smog
particles can account for the curious features of the haze.
Nature
418, 833–834 (2002); doi:10.1038/418833a
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