The Huygens Probe - Is There Liquid on Titan?
The greatest achievement the Huygens probe accomplished was confirming the existence of hydrocarbon lakes on the surface of Titan. During the two and half hour descent in the atmosphere the probe was able to take pictures that showed the multiple huge hydrocarbon oceans. Along with the oceans the probe also took pictures of drainage canals that emptied into the oceans and islands in the middle of the hydrocarbon oceans.
The first body of liquid identified was Ontario Lacus. The Ontario Lacus sits at the top of Titan’s south pole. It is thought that Ontario Lacus was created by a large amount of clouds that seem to cluster in that area of the South Pole.
When the Huygens Probe landed it was still able to transmit data for another 90 minutes. The probe landed off the tip of the region called Adiri. Here the probe photographed hills with a dark river running down to a plain. The hills are composed mostly of ice. Here dark compounds created by the ultraviolet radiation from the sun in the uppermost parts of the atmosphere on titan fall down to the ground. The dark compounds are washed down into the plains by the methane rain.
Also at the landing site the probe took pictures of what looked like chunks of ice scattered over an orange surface. A thick layer of methane covered the majority of the ice. Images taken show that the ground was covered in round icy pebbles that resembled sand. Since the pebbles were rounded it is believed that they are covered with a type of fluid.
A photograph taken near the landing site shows that erosion might of taking place here. Erosion is a sign that there might be a river or stream near by. Also near the site where it is assumed erosion took place the soil is darker than usual. The darker surface shows that there might be a mixture of water and hydrocarbon ice present.
The confirmation of hydrocarbon oceans on titan is important because scientist believe that earth was similar in composition to the current atmosphere on Titan today. The hydrocarbon lakes on Titan are the first stable bodies of liquid found outside of earth. Since the Huygens probe didn’t have equipment to receive biological evidence, the pictures and the evidence of the hydrocarbon oceans on titan show that the environment is similar to the beginning of earth.