Titan and other icy satellites - Dielectric properties of constituent materials and implications for radar sounding

Journal Article · Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · Icarus (International Journal of the Solar System); (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0019-1035(90)90224-W· OSTI ID:6591322

Thompson, W R; Squyres, S W ^[1]

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1. Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (USA)

Radar sounding observations of Titan and the other outer solar system icy satellites have been conducted in order to ascertain the materials present, their dielectric properties, and the degree of radar signal penetration. Deep penetration is possible at long wavelengths, while strong reflections may occur due to pockets or layers of H{sub 2}O-NH{sub 3} solution. Attention is given to the case of Titan, using models to calculate radar reflection S/N ratios; the models involve H{sub 2}O ice covered by a 100-m thick layer of organic sediments that are overlain by an ocean of liquid CH{sub 4}-C{sub 2}H{sub 6}-N{sub 2}. At 13.6-cm wavelength, a greater-than-10 dB S/N is computed from the ocean-sediment and sediment-ice interfaces, suggesting that the geology of Titan may be investigated by such a sounding mode despite deep ocean coverage of the satellite. 63 refs.

• OSTI ID: 6591322
• Journal Information: Icarus (International Journal of the Solar System); (USA), Vol. 86; ISSN 0019-1035
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
SATELLITES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
SATURN PLANET
AMMONIA
DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES
ETHANE
ICE
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
METHANE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
RADAR
SOLAR SYSTEM
WATER
ALKANES
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
HYDRIDES
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLANETS
RANGE FINDERS
640107* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Planetary Phenomena