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Content archived on 2024-06-18

Titan's Lakes: Croll-Milankovitch, Seasonal and Hydrologic Cycles

Objective

A set of liquid hydrocarbon lakes and lake basins has been discovered in Titan's high latitudes. The lakes exhibit a dramatic hemispheric asymmetry; significant area fractions of the northern high latitudes are covered by lakes, while the same southern latitudes are largely devoid of such features. We consider the hypothesis and its consequences that in addition to known seasonal changes, the observed difference in lake distribution may be caused by an asymmetry in the seasons owing to the orbit. Due to Saturn's eccentricity, the instantaneous solar insolation received at Titan is asymmetric. The asymmetry drives a hemispheric difference in evaporation minus precipitation, and hence, in the accumulation of lakes on Titan's northern and southern surfaces. The effect is modulated by, and reverses with, dynamical variations in the orbit. In this picture, much like in Earth's climate and glacial cycles, the resulting vigorous hydrologic cycle has a period of tens of thousands of years. We seek to answer the following fundamental questions:

1. To what extent do Titan's varying orbital parameters control the long-term volatile transport and surface reservoirs?
2. How do Titan's lakes and seas respond to seasonal forcing?
3. What is the relative role of subsurface transport of methane and ethane?
4. What constraints and general properties may be derived in order to better understand Titan's overall climatologic and hydrologic evolution?

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Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

FP7-PEOPLE-2012-CIG
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Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

MC-CIG - Support for training and career development of researcher (CIG)

Coordinator

WEIZMANN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE
EU contribution
€ 100 000,00
Address
HERZL STREET 234
7610001 Rehovot
Israel

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Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

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