Posted on 01/22/2005 3:25:58 PM PST by followerofchrist
PARIS - Saturn's largest moon apparently is lashed regularly by rain made of liquid methane, forming pools, cutting river beds and eroding rocks in much the same way that forces have shaped the Earth, scientists said.
The European Space Agency's probe that landed on Titan's frozen surface a week ago put Europe's stamp on the distant reaches of the solar system with its discoveries of a mysterious, methane-rich globe. snip On Earth, methane is a flammable gas. On Titan, it is a liquid because of the intense pressure and cold - 274 degrees below zero. snip The river beds are darkened by what seem to be particles of smog that fall out of Titan's atmosphere, coating the terrain. The dirt apparently gets washed off the ridges by the methane rain to collect in the river channels. snip Scientists believe the dark smog particles are formed by Titan's methane, breaking up in the atmosphere. That raised another question: Where does the methane come from?
"There must be some source of methane inside Titan which is releasing the gas into the atmosphere. It has to be continually renewed, otherwise it would have all disappeared," Owen said.
(Excerpt) Read more at home.peoplepc.com ...
Nope, to "burn" methane you need oxygen. It is oxygen that is explosive.
Obviously, it's from decaying dinasours and ferns, like it is here on earth. It couldn't come from anything else, could it?
Yeah, their probe would have never landed if it wasn't attached to the Cassini spacecraft built and launched by US!
So even though WE GOT THEM THERE, THEY STILL INSULT US
And the first to explore an entire moon made of farts!
ROFLMAO!!
Hello Southwood, you couldn't have got there without the US built Cassini spacecraft!
Here's the killer:
The vehicle was launched from Cape Canaveral. It is also a joint project.
It's a bit of propaganda to drum up enthusiasm for that pale imitation of the United States that they're trying to build. The one with a "constitution" probably long enough to circle the globe all by itself if you put the pages end to end.
So, aside from the "discovery" that it's cold enough somewhere for gases to run freely on the surface in liquid form (if it is indeed methane - what other gases are liquid at that temperature?) what kind of return-on-investment does Earth get? (The same could be asked about water on Mars too.)
So does this mean Hydrocarbons really are renewable energy. This is really going to piss off the watermelons.
I have to assume it's 'No Smoking' moon by default, then .
The craft that Huygens hitched a ride on, Cassini, is a NASA venture. Without Cassini, Huygens would still be looking for a ride. This is far from the first joint American-European space venture. It's doubtful it'll be the last.
I've always been fascinated with Titan. I wish the d@mned EUrocentrics would stop ruining the exciting discoveries if the mission with their attempts to create a rat race between the American and EUropean scientific communities. It's as shallow as we've come to expect from teh left.
Where did it come from?
How is it produced in an environment like Titans?
If it does indeed have to be continually renewed, what's doing the 'renewing'?
L
Ping
Theres big enough oceans on Titan with that stuff that is how.
L
Thanks for the ping
Why do you feel the necessity to use this story as an excuse to attack Europe?
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