New study reveals details on Titan's geology

A team of researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of Tennessee released this week a study with a detailed analysis of the geologic past of Titan, Saturn’s biggest moon, helping to tell its story, a long mystery covered by its thick, methane and nitrogen-rich atmosphere – scientists were never able to see what’s in its soil.

In 2004, the Cassini-Huygens probe entered Titan’s atmosphere and revealed a frozen ground drawn by rivers of liquid methane for millions of years. Now the analysis of all data available show the rivers created surprisingly little erosion. The researchers say there are two possible explanations: either erosion on Titan is extremely slow, or some other recent phenomena may have wiped out older riverbeds and landforms.

According to Taylor Perron, assistant professor of Geology at the MIT and a member of the team of researchers, there are several similarities between erosion in Titan and the own Earth, despite the different substances and temperatures among the bodies.