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Wind‐driven circulation in Titan's seas
Author(s) -
Tokano Tetsuya,
Lorenz Ralph D.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: planets
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-9100
pISSN - 2169-9097
DOI - 10.1002/2014je004751
Subject(s) - stratification (seeds) , thermal wind , ocean current , geology , wind stress , oceanography , atmospheric sciences , climatology , titan (rocket family) , environmental science , circulation (fluid dynamics) , wind speed , wind shear , mechanics , seed dormancy , botany , germination , physics , dormancy , biology , aerospace engineering , engineering
Circulation in Titan's seas forced by wind is simulated by an ocean circulation model using surface wind data predicted by a global circulation model. Wind‐driven circulation is insignificant throughout much of the annual cycle but becomes significant from late spring to late summer, when the wind stress becomes strong. The large‐scale circulation in summer is predominantly southward near the sea surface and northward near the sea bottom. The sea surface current can get as fast as 5 cms −1 in some areas. Titan's rotation affects the vertical structure of sea currents in the form of an Ekman spiral if the wind is strong. The maximum wind setup at the shores is of the same order of magnitude as the tidal range. Wind stirring may reduce thermal stratification in summer but may be unable to destroy stratification of methane‐rich liquids on top of ethane‐rich liquids that can result from imbalances between evaporation and precipitation.