[extropy-chat] Mars and Titan

[Mike Lorrey]

--- Damien Broderick <thespike at satx.rr.com> wrote:
> UK sf writer Adam Roberts mentioned in an interview his puzzlement
> that 
> Titan (diameter 5150 km, 0.4 of Earth) has an atmospheric pressure at
> the 
> surface 60% *greater* than Earth's, while Mars (6794 km, 0.53 Earth)
> has 
> negligible atmosphere.
> 
> Hmm. How so? Is solar wind the culprit, far less intense at 9.5 AU
> than at 
> 1.5? You'd expect Saturn to rip the air away, but maybe it outgasses
> itself 
> and helps keep Titan pumped up?

The atmosphere is methane, the oceans are methane, and the surface of
titan is methane. THe atmosphere is a thermal result of tectonic stress
caused by Saturnian tidal influence.

=====
Mike Lorrey
Chairman, Free Town Land Development
"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom.
It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves."
                                         -William Pitt (1759-1806) 
Blog: http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=Sadomikeyism


	
		
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