Titan structure and tidal stress schematic (IMAGE)

University of Hawaii at Manoa

Titan structure and tidal stress schematic

Caption

Because of Titan’s eccentric orbit, variations in gravitational tidal forces directed toward Saturn (dashed arrows) act to deform the surface (graphic exaggerated). The permanent tidal bulge of the satellite (solid arrows) is facing towards the empty focus of the elliptical orbit. Inset: Titan's internal structure drawn to scale, consisting of an outer ice layer ∼100 km thick, underlain by a liquid water ocean ∼200 km deep, and a deep interior comprised of high-phase ices and rock core.

Credit

Burkhard et al. (2021)

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