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Published Online October 2, 2003
Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1088969

Reports

Submitted on July 9, 2003
Accepted on September 22, 2003

Radar Evidence for Liquid Surfaces on Titan

Donald B. Campbell 1*, Gregory J. Black 2, Lynn M. Carter 3, Steven J. Ostro 4

1 NAIC and Department of Astronomy, Space Sciences Bldg, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
2 Department of Astronomy, University of Virginia, PO Box 3818, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA.
3 Department of Astronomy, Space Sciences Bldg, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
4 300-233 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Dr., Pasadena, CA 91109-8099, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: campbell{at}astro.cornell.edu.

Arecibo radar observations of Titan at 13 cm wavelength indicate that most of the echo power is in a diffusely scattered component but that a small specular component is present for about 75% of the sub-earth locations observed. These specular echoes have properties consistent with those expected for areas of liquid hydrocarbons. Knowledge of the areal extent and depth of any deposits of liquid hydrocarbons could strongly constrain the history of Titan's atmosphere and surface.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
A 5-Micron-Bright Spot on Titan: Evidence for Surface Diversity.
J. W. Barnes, R. H. Brown, E. P. Turtle, A. S. McEwen, R. D. Lorenz, M. Janssen, E. L. Schaller, M. E. Brown, B. J. Buratti, C. Sotin, et al. (2005)
Science 310, 92-95
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Cassini Radar Views the Surface of Titan.
C. Elachi, S. Wall, M. Allison, Y. Anderson, R. Boehmer, P. Callahan, P. Encrenaz, E. Flamini, G. Franceschetti, Y. Gim, et al. (2005)
Science 308, 970-974
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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)