643:
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34:
243:
The eruptions of Sotra Patera are presumed to originate in a layer of liquid water lying below Titan's icy crust. The mountain's heavily cratered appearance indicates that it must have erupted with considerable force, but the precise mechanism by which this happened is not certain. Liquid water is
155:
The ice volcano or cryovolcano Doom Mons forms a roughly circular mountain measuring about 65 kilometres (40 mi) across. It has two peaks standing about 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) and 1,450 metres (4,760 ft) high with multiple craters, with Sotra Patera at 1,700 metres (5,600 ft)
189:
mapping of Sotra Patera and the surrounding area. Researchers also discovered at least two more mountains and another big crater, forming a chain of mountains several hundred kilometers long flanked by lava-covered lowlands.
173:
mission has mapped Sotra Patera using the
Cassini orbiter's onboard radar instrument and the visual and infrared mapping spectrometer. An earlier survey of the region in 2004 revealed a circular bright spot, or
148:
caldera 30 km (19 mi) across and 1.7 km (1.1 mi) deep, and is immediately to the east of the largest putative cryovolcanic mountain on Titan, the 1.45 km (0.90 mi) high
193:
With Doom Mons, Sotra Patera is regarded as "the very best evidence, by far, for volcanic topography anywhere documented on an icy satellite", according to planetary scientist
Jeffrey Kargel of the
248:, allowing it to force its way to the surface. Alternatively, some other mechanism such as the underground formation of methane bubbles or a build-up of tectonic pressure may be responsible.
359:
289:; Kirk, R. L.; Mitchell, K. L.; LeGall, A.; Barnes, J. W.; Hayes, A.; Kargel, J.; Wye, L.; Radebaugh, J.; Stofan, E. R.; Janssen, M. A.; Neish, C. D.; Wall, S. D.; Wood, C. A.;
882:
960:
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428:
367:
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965:
178:, which was nicknamed "The Rose". A subsequent flyby by Cassini re-surveyed the region from a different angle, enabling members of the
63:
156:
being the deepest. Finger-like flows are visible on the flanks of the mountain, measuring perhaps 100 metres (330 ft) thick.
872:
244:
ordinarily denser than ice but it is possible that the water's density may be reduced by mixing with other substances, such as
51:
877:
236:
to the surface. Titan's dense methane atmosphere is constantly being broken down by sunlight in the upper atmosphere through
860:
897:
421:
908:
20:
393:
209:. There is as yet no evidence of current activity, but researchers plan to monitor the area for changes.
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It is unclear what might have been erupted from Sotra Patera—possibly water mixed with
954:
734:
684:
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394:
Titan Spews: Discovery of Cold
Volcanoes on Saturnian Moon May Solve Methane Mystery
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240:; cryovolcanism may therefore explain how the atmosphere is being replenished.
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144:; the current name was approved on 19 December 2012. It is a possible
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106:
295:"Cryovolcanism on Titan: New results from Cassini RADAR and VIMS"
42:. Height is exaggerated by a factor of 10. The colours are false.
202:
410:
197:. It has been compared with terrestrial volcanoes such as
163:
Global view of Titan showing the location of Sotra Patera
406:
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341:Cassini Spots Potential Ice Volcano on Saturn Moon
152:. Sotra Patera is the deepest known pit on Titan.
335:
333:
422:
360:"Saturn Moon Has Ice Volcano—And Maybe Life?"
8:
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26:
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302:Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets
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232:. The eruptions may also have brought
25:
272:. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
38:Stereoscopic map of Sotra Patera and
7:
270:Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature
293:; Malaska, M. J. (19 March 2013).
14:
358:Lovett, Richard A. (2010-12-15).
961:Surface features of Titan (moon)
641:
32:
873:Explorer of Enceladus and Titan
129:) is a prominent depression on
52:Patera (planetary nomenclature)
878:Journey to Enceladus and Titan
1:
898:Titan Saturn System Mission
185:Science Center to generate
140:. It was formerly known as
982:
966:Extraterrestrial volcanoes
343:". NASA, December 14, 2010
18:
639:
444:
98:235 km (146 mi)
31:
364:National Geographic News
205:and volcanic cones near
392:Castelvecchi, Davide. "
164:
21:Sotra (disambiguation)
930:Colonization of Titan
195:University of Arizona
162:
903:Titan Winged Aerobot
853:Planned and proposed
370:on December 17, 2010
180:US Geological Survey
19:For other uses, see
888:Titan Mare Explorer
400:, December 16, 2010
398:Scientific American
314:2013JGRE..118..416L
291:Lunine, Jonathan I.
75: /
28:
323:10.1002/jgre.20062
220:compounds such as
207:Flagstaff, Arizona
165:
948:
947:
918:
917:
760:Taniquetil Montes
715:Mindolluin Montes
637:
636:
629:Woytchugga Lacuna
216:, or more exotic
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973:
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665:Arrakis Planitia
645:
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598:Elivagar Flumina
572:Sionascaig Lacus
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366:. Archived from
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16:Feature on Titan
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893:Titan Submarine
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834:Cassini–Huygens
812:Voyager program
798:Pioneer program
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730:Perkunas Virgae
695:Irensaga Montes
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287:Lopes, R. M. C.
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170:Cassini–Huygens
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745:Shikoku Facula
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725:Mithrim Montes
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577:Sotonera Lacus
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308:(3): 416–435.
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266:"Sotra Patera"
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226:paraffin waxes
133:, the largest
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567:Ontario Lacus
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542:Koitere Lacus
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517:Bolsena Lacus
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121:(named after
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79:12.5°S 39.8°W
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35:
30:
22:
940:In mythology
907:
859:
839:
832:
823:
816:
802:
755:Sotra Patera
754:
720:Misty Montes
700:Mayda Insula
624:Ngami Lacuna
582:Albano Lacus
557:Müggel Lacus
552:Mackay Lacus
547:Ladoga Lacus
532:Jingpo Lacus
527:Hammar Lacus
397:
372:. Retrieved
368:the original
363:
305:
301:
269:
260:
242:
222:polyethylene
211:
192:
187:stereoscopic
183:Astrogeology
175:
168:
166:
154:
146:cryovolcanic
142:Sotra Facula
141:
119:Sotra Patera
118:
117:
84:-12.5; -39.8
48:Feature type
27:Sotra Patera
784:Exploration
680:Erebor Mons
619:Eyre Lacuna
603:Vid Flumina
562:Neagh Lacus
512:Abaya Lacus
489:Ligeia Mare
484:Kraken Mare
218:hydrocarbon
82: /
58:Coordinates
955:Categories
935:In fiction
804:Pioneer 11
740:Shangri-La
710:Mezzoramia
537:Kivu Lacus
522:Feia Lacus
494:Punga Mare
449:Atmosphere
374:2012-12-08
252:References
238:photolysis
125:island in
861:Dragonfly
825:Voyager 2
818:Voyager 1
770:Tui Regio
690:Guabonito
675:Doom Mons
612:Dry lakes
150:Doom Mons
40:Doom Mons
652:Features
470:and seas
214:ammonium
95:Diameter
923:Related
909:Oceanus
841:Huygens
765:Tsegihi
454:Climate
310:Bibcode
246:ammonia
234:methane
230:asphalt
135:moon of
70:39°48′W
67:12°30′S
883:TALISE
868:AVIATR
864:(2028)
775:Xanadu
750:Sinlap
705:Menrva
670:Dilmun
591:Rivers
176:facula
138:Saturn
127:Norway
111:Norway
103:Eponym
660:Adiri
504:Lakes
468:Lakes
438:Titan
298:(PDF)
131:Titan
123:Sotra
107:Sotra
791:Past
735:Selk
477:Seas
459:Life
203:Laki
199:Etna
167:The
396:".
318:doi
306:118
228:or
957::
383:^
362:.
348:^
332:^
316:.
304:.
300:.
278:^
268:.
224:,
201:,
109:,
430:e
423:t
416:v
377:.
339:"
326:.
320::
312::
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
