[ESAC Seminar] Ze-Wen Koh

“Seasonal variations in sea circulation on Titan”

Titan’s methane-based hydrological cycle represents an extreme analogue to Earth’s water cycle, forming low-lying clouds that deposit heavy rainfall in the summer. Surface methane is stored in the form of lakes and large seas spanning hundreds of kilometers, primarily near the northern pole. These seas are comprised of a ternary mixture of methane, ethane, and nitrogen, and represent a unique opportunity to study the atmosphere-ocean interactions of an alien world unlike our own. In this study, I simulate the effects of seasonal variations in precipitation and evaporative fluxes on the dynamical behavior of Titan’s northern polar seas, using an oceanic general circulation model. I find that during northern spring and summer (‘storm season’), the seas are convectively unstable, forming anticyclonic gyres near the sea surface and cyclonic gyres near the bed. During northern autumn and winter (‘drought season’), the seas become stratified and the circulation reverses, eventually forming cyclonic gyres near the surface with anticyclonic gyres near the bottom.

ESAC Student Seminar Series —

A forum for students and postdocs to share recent research, hone presentation skills, and build community among peers, sponsored by the EAPS Student Advisory Committee. Open to current EAPS graduate and undergraduate students and postdocs. Typically hosted on Thursdays during the semester, including pizza lunch.

Contact: esac.officers@gmail.com