Lakes of Titan

Hydrocarbon lakes on Titan, a moon of Saturn

This article contains too many images for its overall length. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help improve this article by removing indiscriminate collections of images or by adjusting images that are sandwiching text in accordance with Wikipedia's Manual of Style. (November 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

False-color, medium-resolution Cassini synthetic aperture radar mosaic of Titan's north polar region, showing hydrocarbon seas, lakes, and tributary networks. Blue coloring indicates low radar reflectivity areas, caused by bodies of liquid ethane, methane and dissolved nitrogen.[1] Kraken Mare, the largest sea on Titan, is at lower left. Ligeia Mare is the large body below the pole, and Punga Mare at half its size is just left of the pole. White areas have not been imaged.

Lakes of liquid ethane and methane exist on the surface of Titan, Saturn's largest moon. This was confirmed by the Cassini–Huygens space probe, as had been suspected since the 1980s.[2] The large bodies of liquid are known as maria (seas) and the small ones as lacūs (lakes).[3]

## History and discovery

[edit]

Titan lakes (September 11, 2017)

Size comparison of Ligeia Mare with Lake Superior. Radargram acquired by the Cassini RADAR altimeter showing the surface and seafloor of Ligeia Mare along the transect highlined by the red line. In each column is shown the received power as function of time. Vid Flumina,[4] a 400-kilometer-long (250 mi) river emptying into Ligeia Mare (in lower right corner of top image).

The possibility that there are seas on Titan was first suggested based on data from the Voyager 1 and 2 space probes, which flew past Titan in 1980. The data showed Titan to have a thick atmosphere of approximately the correct temperature and composition to support liquid hydrocarbons. Direct evidence was obtained in 1995 when data from the Hubble Space Telescope and other observations suggested the existence of liquid methane on Titan, either in disconnected pockets or on the scale of satellite-wide oceans, similar to water on Earth.[5]

The Cassini mission affirmed the former hypothesis, although not immediately. When the probe arrived in the Saturnian system in 2004, it was hoped that hydrocarbon lakes or oceans might be detectable by reflected sunlight from the surface of any liquid bodies, but no specular reflections were initially observed.[6]

The possibility remained that liquid ethane and methane might be found on Titan's polar regions, where they were expected to be abundant and stable.[7] In Titan's south polar region, an enigmatic dark feature named Ontario Lacus was the first suspected lake identified, possibly created by clouds that are observed to cluster in the area.[8] A possible shoreline was also identified near the pole via radar imagery.[9] Following a flyby on July 22, 2006, in which the Cassini spacecraft's radar imaged the northern latitudes, which were at the time in winter. A number of large, smooth (and thus dark to radar) patches were seen dotting the surface near the pole.[10] Based on the observations, scientists announced "definitive evidence of lakes filled with methane on Saturn's moon Titan" in January 2007.[7][11] The Cassini–Huygens team concluded that the imaged features are almost certainly the long-sought hydrocarbon lakes, the first stable bodies of surface liquid found off Earth. Some appear to have channels associated with liquid and lie in topographical depressions.[7] Channels in some regions have created surprisingly little erosion, suggesting erosion on Titan is extremely slow, or some other recent phenomena may have wiped out older riverbeds and landforms.[12] Overall, the Cassini radar observations have shown that lakes cover only a few percent of the surface and are concentrated near the poles, making Titan much drier than Earth.[13] The high relative humidity of methane in Titan's lower atmosphere could be maintained by evaporation from lakes covering only 0.002–0.02% of the whole surface.[14]

During a Cassini flyby in late February 2007, radar and camera observations revealed several large features in the north polar region interpreted as large expanses of liquid methane and/or ethane, including one, Ligeia Mare, with an area of 126,000 km2 (49,000 sq mi), slightly larger than Lake Michigan–Huron, the largest freshwater lake on Earth; and another, Kraken Mare, that would later prove to be three times that size. A flyby of Titan's southern polar regions in October 2007 revealed similar, though far smaller, lake-like features.[15]

Infrared specular reflection off Jingpo Lacus, a north polar body of liquid. Image of Titan taken during Huygens' descent, showing hills and topographical features that resemble a shoreline and drainage channels.

During a close Cassini flyby in December 2007 the visual and mapping instrument observed a lake, Ontario Lacus, in Titan's south polar region. This instrument identifies chemically different materials based on the way they absorb and reflect infrared light. Radar measurements made in July 2009 and January 2010 indicate that Ontario Lacus is extremely shallow, with an average depth of 0.4–3.2 m (1 ft 4 in – 10 ft 6 in), and a maximum depth of 2.9–7.4 m (9 ft 6 in – 24 ft 3 in).[16] It may thus resemble a terrestrial mudflat. In contrast, the northern hemisphere's Ligeia Mare has depths of 170 m (560 ft).[17]

### Chemical composition and surface roughness of the lakes

[edit]

According to Cassini data, scientists announced on February 13, 2008, that Titan hosts within its polar lakes "hundreds of times more natural gas and other liquid hydrocarbons than all the known oil and natural gas reserves on Earth." The desert sand dunes along the equator, while devoid of open liquid, nonetheless hold more organics than all of Earth's coal reserves.[18] It has been estimated that the visible lakes and seas of Titan contain about 300 times the volume of Earth's proven oil reserves.[19] In June 2008, Cassini's Visible and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer confirmed the presence of liquid ethane beyond doubt in a lake in Titan's southern hemisphere.[20] The exact blend of hydrocarbons in the lakes is unknown. According to a computer model, 3/4 of an average polar lake is ethane, with 10 percent methane, 7 percent propane and smaller amounts of hydrogen cyanide, butane, nitrogen and argon.[21] Benzene is expected to fall like snow and quickly dissolve into the lakes, although the lakes may become saturated just as the Dead Sea on Earth is packed with salt. The excess benzene would then build up in a mud-like sludge on the shores and on the lake floors before eventually being eroded by ethane rain, forming a complex cave-riddled landscape.[22] Salt-like compounds composed of ammonia and acetylene are also predicted to form.[23] However, the chemical composition and physical properties of the lakes probably varies from one lake to another (Cassini observations in 2013 indicate Ligeia Mare is filled with a ternary mixture of methane, ethane, and nitrogen and consequently the probe's radar signals were able to detect the sea floor 170 m [560 ft] below the liquid surface).[24]

No waves were initially detected by Cassini as the northern lakes emerged from winter darkness (calculations indicate wind speeds of less than 1 meter per second [2.2 mph] should whip up detectable waves in Titan's ethane lakes but none were observed). This may be either due to low seasonal winds or solidification of hydrocarbons. Titan has several lakes that reside near its northern pole that vary in size, the area these lakes cover and lower wind speeds could as well explain why there were no surface waves being detected. The area over a liquid that wind blows across is known as fetch.[25] The larger this area is, the larger waves become as wind has more area to blow across to transfer energy. The smaller the area of fetch, the smaller waves will be. The optical properties of solid methane surface (close to the melting point) are quite close to the properties of liquid surface however the viscosity of solid methane, even near the melting point, is many orders of magnitude higher, which might explain extraordinary smoothness of the surface.[26] Solid methane is denser than liquid methane so it will eventually sink. It is possible that the methane ice could float for a time as it probably contains bubbles of nitrogen gas from Titan's atmosphere.[27] Temperatures close to the freezing point of methane (90.4 K; −182.8 °C; −296.9 °F) could lead to both floating and sinking ice - that is, a hydrocarbon ice crust above the liquid and blocks of hydrocarbon ice on the bottom of the lake bed. The ice is predicted to rise to the surface again at the onset of spring before melting.

Since 2014, Cassini has detected transient features in scattered patches in Kraken Mare, Ligeia Mare and Punga Mare. Laboratory experiments suggest these features (e.g. RADAR-bright "magic islands")[28] might be vast patches of bubbles caused by the rapid release of nitrogen dissolved in the lakes. Bubble outburst events are predicted to occur as the lakes cool and subsequently warm or whenever methane-rich fluids mix with ethane-rich ones due to heavy rainfall.[29][30] Bubble outburst events may also influence the formation of Titan's river deltas.[30] An alternative explanation is the transient features in Cassini VIMS near-infrared data may be shallow, wind-driven capillary waves (ripples) moving at about 0.7 m/s (1.6 mph) and at heights of about 1.5 centimeters (0.59 in).[31][32][33] Post-Cassini analysis of VIMS data suggests tidal currents may also be responsible for the generation of persistent waves in narrow channels (Freta) of Kraken Mare.[33]

Cyclones driven by evaporation and involving rain as well as gale-force winds of up to 20 m/s (72 km/h; 45 mph) are expected to form over the large northern seas only (Kraken Mare, Ligeia Mare, Punga Mare) in northern summer during 2017, lasting up to ten days.[34] However, a 2017 analysis of Cassini data from 2007 to 2015 indicates waves across these three seas were diminutive, reaching only about 1 centimeter (0.39 in) high and 20 centimeters (7.9 in) long. The results call into question the early summer's classification as the beginning of the Titan's windy season, because high winds probably would have made for larger waves.[35] A 2019 theoretical study concluded that it is possible that the relatively dense aerosols raining down on Titan's lakes may have liquid-repelling properties, forming a persistent film on the surface of the lakes which then would inhibit formation of waves larger than a few centimetres in wavelength.[36]

### Observation of specular reflections

[edit]

Near-infrared radiation from the Sun reflecting off Titan's hydrocarbon seas.

On 21 December 2008, Cassini passed directly over Ontario Lacus at an altitude of 1,900 km (1,200 mi) and was able to observe specular reflection in radar observations. The signals were much stronger than anticipated and saturated the probe's receiver. The conclusion drawn from the strength of the reflection was that the lake level did not vary by more than 3 mm (0.12 in) over a first Fresnel zone reflecting area only 100 m (330 ft) wide (smoother than any natural dry surface on Earth). From this it was surmised that surface winds in the area are minimal at that season and/or the lake fluid is more viscous than expected.[37][38]

On 8 July 2009, Cassini's Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) observed a specular reflection in 5 μm infrared light off a northern hemisphere body of liquid at 71° N, 337° W. This has been described as at the southern shoreline of Kraken Mare,[39] but on a combined radar-VIMS image the location is shown as a separate lake (later named Jingpo Lacus). The observation was made shortly after the north polar region emerged from 15 years of winter darkness. Because of the polar location of the reflecting liquid body, the observation required a phase angle close to 180°.[40]

### Equatorial in-situ observations by the Huygens probe

[edit]

The discoveries in the polar regions contrast with the findings of the Huygens probe, which landed near Titan's equator on January 14, 2005. The images taken by the probe during its descent showed no open areas of liquid, but strongly indicated the presence of liquids in the recent past, showing pale hills crisscrossed with dark drainage channels that lead into a wide, flat, darker region. It was initially thought that the dark region might be a lake of a fluid or at least tar-like substance, but it is now clear that Huygens landed on the dark region, and that it is solid without any indication of liquids. A penetrometer studied the composition of the surface as the craft impacted it, and it was initially reported that the surface was similar to wet clay, or perhaps crème brûlée (that is, a hard crust covering a sticky material). Subsequent analysis of the data suggests that this reading was likely caused by Huygens displacing a large pebble as it landed, and that the surface is better described as a "sand" made of ice grains.[41] The images taken after the probe's landing show a flat plain covered in pebbles. The pebbles may be made of water ice and are somewhat rounded, which may indicate the action of fluids.[42] Thermometers indicated that heat was wicked away from Huygens so quickly that the ground must have been damp, and one image shows light reflected by a dewdrop as it falls across the camera's field of view. On Titan, the feeble sunlight allows only about one centimeter of evaporation per year (versus one meter of water on Earth), but the atmosphere can hold the equivalent of about 10 meters (33 ft) of liquid before rain forms (versus about 2 cm [0.79 in] on Earth). So Titan's weather is expected to feature downpours of several meters (15–20 feet) causing flash floods, interspersed by decades or centuries of drought (whereas typical weather on Earth includes a little rain most weeks).[43] Cassini has observed equatorial rainstorms only once since 2004. Despite this, a number of long-standing tropical hydrocarbon lakes were unexpectedly discovered in 2012[44] (including one near the Huygens landing site in the Shangri-La region which is about half the size of Utah's Great Salt Lake, with a depth of at least 1 meter [3'4"]). As on Earth, the likely supplier is probably underground aquifers, in other words the arid equatorial regions of Titan contain "oases".[45]

### Impact of Titan's methane cycle and geology on lake formation

[edit]

Rimmed lakes of Titan
(artist concept)

Evolving feature in Ligeia Mare

Models of oscillations in Titan's atmospheric circulation suggest that over the course of a Saturnian year, liquid is transported from the equatorial region to the poles, where it falls as rain. This might account for the equatorial region's relative dryness.[46] According to a computer model, intense rainstorms should occur in normally rainless equatorial areas during Titan's vernal and autumnal equinoxes—enough liquid to carve out the type of channels that Huygens found.[47] The model also predicts energy from the Sun will evaporate liquid methane from Titan's surface except at the poles, where the relative absence of sunlight makes it easier for liquid methane to accumulate into permanent lakes. The model also apparently explains why there are more lakes in the northern hemisphere. Due to the eccentricity of Saturn's orbit, the northern summer is longer than the southern summer and consequently the rainy season is longer in the north.

However, recent Cassini observations (from 2013) suggest geology may also explain the geographic distribution of the lakes and other surface features. One puzzling feature of Titan is the lack of impact craters at the poles and mid-latitudes, particularly at lower elevations. These areas may be wetlands fed by subsurface ethane and methane springs.[48] Any crater created by meteorites is thus quickly subsumed by wet sediment. The presence of underground aquifers could explain another mystery. Titan's atmosphere is full of methane, which according to calculations should react with ultraviolet radiation from the sun to produce liquid ethane. Over time, the moon should have built up an ethane ocean hundreds of meters (1,500 to 2,500 feet) deep instead of only a handful of polar lakes. The presence of wetlands would suggest that the ethane soaks into the ground, forming a subsurface liquid layer akin to groundwater on Earth. A possibility is that the formation of materials called clathrates changes the chemical composition of the rainfall runoff that charges the subsurface hydrocarbon "aquifers." This process leads to the formation of reservoirs of propane and ethane that may feed into some rivers and lakes. The chemical transformations taking place underground would affect Titan's surface. Lakes and rivers fed by springs from propane or ethane subsurface reservoirs would show the same kind of composition, whereas those fed by rainfall would be different and contain a significant fraction of methane.[49]

97% of Titan's lakes have been found within a bright unit of terrain covering about 900 by 1,800 kilometers (560 by 1,120 mi) near the north pole. The lakes found here have very distinctive shapes—rounded complex silhouettes and steep sides—suggesting deformation of the crust created fissures that could be filled up with liquid. A variety of formation mechanisms have been proposed. The explanations range from the collapse of land after a cryovolcanic eruption to karst terrain, where liquids dissolve soluble ice.[50] Smaller lakes (up to tens of miles across) with steep rims (up to hundreds of feet high) might be analogous to maar lakes, i.e. explosion craters subsequently filled with liquid. The explosions are proposed to result from fluctuations in climate, which lead to pockets of liquid nitrogen accumulating within the crust during colder periods and then exploding when warming caused the nitrogen to rapidly expand as it shifted to a gas state.[51][52][53]

## Titan Mare Explorer

[edit]

Titan Mare Explorer (TiME) was a proposed NASA/ESA lander that would splash down on Ligeia Mare and analyze its surface, shoreline and Titan's atmosphere.[54] However, it was turned down in August 2012, when NASA instead selected the InSight mission to Mars.[55]

## Named lakes and seas

[edit]

False-color near infrared view of Titan's northern hemisphere, showing its seas and lakes. Orange areas near some of them may be deposits of organic evaporite left behind by receding liquid hydrocarbon. Intricate networks of channels drain into Kraken Mare (lower left) and Ligeia Mare (upper right). Hydrocarbon lakes on Titan: Cassini radar image, 2006. Bolsena Lacus is at lower right, with Sotonera Lacus just above and to its left. Koitere Lacus and Neagh Lacus are in the middle distance, left of center and on the right margin, respectively. Mackay Lacus is at upper left. Titan's "kissing lakes", formally named Abaya Lacus, about 65 km (40 mi) across Feia Lacus, about 47 km (29 mi) across, a lake with several large peninsulas

Features labeled lacus are believed to be ethane/methane lakes, while features labeled lacuna are believed to be dry lake beds. Both are named after lakes on Earth.[3] Features labeled sinus are bays within the lakes or seas. They are named after bays and fjords on Earth. Features labeled insula are islands within the body of liquid. They are named after mythical islands. Titanean maria (large hydrocarbon seas) are named after sea monsters in world mythology.[3] The tables are up-to-date as of 2023.[56]

### Sea names of Titan

[edit]

Name | Coordinates | Length (km)[note 1] | Area (km2) | Approval Date | Source of name | Ref

|
|
|
|
|
|

Kraken Mare | 68°00′N 310°00′W﻿ / ﻿68.0°N 310.0°W﻿ / 68.0; -310.0 | 1,170 | 400,000 | 11 April 2008 | The Kraken, Norse sea monster. | WGPSN
Ligeia Mare | 79°00′N 248°00′W﻿ / ﻿79.0°N 248.0°W﻿ / 79.0; -248.0 | 500 | 126,000 | 11 April 2008 | Ligeia, one of the Sirens, Greek monsters | WGPSN
Punga Mare | 85°06′N 339°42′W﻿ / ﻿85.1°N 339.7°W﻿ / 85.1; -339.7 | 380 | 40,000 | 14 November 2008 | Punga, Māori ancestor of sharks and lizards | WGPSN

### Lake names of Titan

[edit]

Name | Coordinates | Length (km)[note 1] | Approval Date | Source of name | Ref

|
|
|
|
|

Abaya Lacus | 73°10′N 45°33′W﻿ / ﻿73.17°N 45.55°W﻿ / 73.17; -45.55﻿ (Abaya Lacus) | 65 | 27 September 2007 | Lake Abaya, Ethiopia | WGPSN
Akmena Lacus | 85°06′N 55°36′W﻿ / ﻿85.1°N 55.6°W﻿ / 85.1; -55.6﻿ (Akmena Lacus) | 35.6 | 7 August 2017 | Lake Akmena, Lithuania | WGPSN
Albano Lacus | 65°54′N 236°24′W﻿ / ﻿65.9°N 236.4°W﻿ / 65.9; -236.4﻿ (Albano Lacus) | 6.2 | 16 September 2010 | Lake Albano, Italy | WGPSN
Annecy Lacus | 76°48′N 128°54′W﻿ / ﻿76.8°N 128.9°W﻿ / 76.8; -128.9﻿ (Annecy Lacus) | 20 | 26 June 2017 | Lake Annecy, France | WGPSN
Arala Lacus | 78°06′N 124°54′W﻿ / ﻿78.1°N 124.9°W﻿ / 78.1; -124.9﻿ (Arala Lacus) | 12.3 | 26 June 2017 | Lake Arala, Mali | WGPSN
Atitlán Lacus | 69°18′N 238°48′W﻿ / ﻿69.3°N 238.8°W﻿ / 69.3; -238.8﻿ (Atitlán Lacus) | 13.7 | 16 September 2010 | Lake Atitlán, Guatemala | WGPSN
Balaton Lacus | 82°54′N 87°30′W﻿ / ﻿82.9°N 87.5°W﻿ / 82.9; -87.5﻿ (Balaton Lacus) | 35.6 | 7 August 2017 | Lake Balaton, Hungary | WGPSN
Bolsena Lacus | 75°45′N 10°17′W﻿ / ﻿75.75°N 10.28°W﻿ / 75.75; -10.28﻿ (Bolsena Lacus) | 101 | 27 September 2007 | Lake Bolsena, Italy | WGPSN
Brienz Lacus | 85°18′N 43°48′W﻿ / ﻿85.3°N 43.8°W﻿ / 85.3; -43.8﻿ (Brienz Lacus) | 50.6 | 7 August 2017 | Lake Brienz, Switzerland | WGPSN
Buada Lacus | 76°24′N 129°36′W﻿ / ﻿76.4°N 129.6°W﻿ / 76.4; -129.6﻿ (Buada Lacus) | 76.4 | 26 June 2017 | Buada Lagoon, Nauru | WGPSN
Cardiel Lacus | 70°12′N 206°30′W﻿ / ﻿70.2°N 206.5°W﻿ / 70.2; -206.5﻿ (Cardiel Lacus) | 22 | 7 April 2011 | Cardiel Lake, Argentina | WGPSN
Cayuga Lacus | 69°48′N 230°00′W﻿ / ﻿69.8°N 230.0°W﻿ / 69.8; -230.0﻿ (Cayuga Lacus) | 22.7 | 16 September 2010 | Cayuga Lake, USA | WGPSN
Chilwa Lacus | 75°00′N 131°18′W﻿ / ﻿75°N 131.3°W﻿ / 75; -131.3﻿ (Chilwa Lacus) | 19.8 | 6 June 2017 | Lake Chilwa, near Malawi-Mozambique border | WGPSN
Crveno Lacus | 79°36′S 184°54′W﻿ / ﻿79.6°S 184.9°W﻿ / -79.6; -184.9﻿ (Crveno Lacus) | 41.0 | 20 July 2015 | Crveno Jezero, Croatia | WGPSN
Dilolo Lacus | 76°12′N 125°00′W﻿ / ﻿76.2°N 125°W﻿ / 76.2; -125﻿ (Dilolo Lacus) | 18.3 | 26 June 2017 | Dilolo Lake, Angola | WGPSN
Dridzis Lacus | 78°54′N 131°18′W﻿ / ﻿78.9°N 131.3°W﻿ / 78.9; -131.3﻿ (Dilolo Lacus) | 50 | 26 June 2017 | Lake Dridzis, Latvia | WGPSN
Enriquillo Lacus | 71°24′N 237°35′W﻿ / ﻿71.4°N 237.59°W﻿ / 71.4; -237.59﻿ (Enriquillo Lacus) | 47 | 13 April 2022 | Lake Enriquillo, Dominican Republic | WGPSN
Feia Lacus | 73°42′N 64°25′W﻿ / ﻿73.7°N 64.41°W﻿ / 73.7; -64.41﻿ (Feia Lacus) | 47 | 27 September 2007 | Lake Feia, Brazil | WGPSN
Fogo Lacus | 81°54′N 98°00′W﻿ / ﻿81.9°N 98°W﻿ / 81.9; -98﻿ (Fogo Lacus) | 32.3 | 7 August 2017 | Lagoa do Fogo, Azores, Portugal | WGPSN
Freeman Lacus | 73°36′N 211°06′W﻿ / ﻿73.6°N 211.1°W﻿ / 73.6; -211.1﻿ (Freeman Lacus) | 26 | 7 April 2011 | Lake Freeman, USA | WGPSN
Gatun Lacus | 72°47′N 178°02′W﻿ / ﻿72.79°N 178.04°W﻿ / 72.79; -178.04﻿ (Gatun Lacus) | 67 | 13 April 2022 | Gatun Lake, Panama | WGPSN
Grasmere Lacus | 72°18′N 103°06′W﻿ / ﻿72.3°N 103.1°W﻿ / 72.3; -103.1﻿ (Grasmere Lacus) | 33.3 | 7 August 2017 | Grasmere Lake, England | WGPSN
Hammar Lacus | 48°36′N 308°17′W﻿ / ﻿48.6°N 308.29°W﻿ / 48.6; -308.29﻿ (Hammar Lacus) | 200 | 3 December 2013 | Lake Hammar, Iraq | WGPSN
Hlawga Lacus | 76°36′N 103°36′W﻿ / ﻿76.6°N 103.6°W﻿ / 76.6; -103.6﻿ (Hlawga Lacus) | 40.3 | 7 August 2017 | Lake Hlawga, Myanmar | WGPSN
Ihotry Lacus | 76°06′N 137°12′W﻿ / ﻿76.1°N 137.2°W﻿ / 76.1; -137.2﻿ (Ihotry Lacus) | 37.5 | 6 June 2017 | Lake Ihotry, Madagascar | WGPSN
Imogene Lacus | 71°06′N 111°48′W﻿ / ﻿71.1°N 111.8°W﻿ / 71.1; -111.8﻿ (Imogene Lacus) | 38 | 26 June 2017 | Imogene Lake, USA | WGPSN
Jingpo Lacus | 73°00′N 336°00′W﻿ / ﻿73.0°N 336.0°W﻿ / 73.0; -336.0﻿ (Jingpo Lacus) | 240 | 29 March 2010 | Jingpo Lake, China | WGPSN
Junín Lacus | 66°54′N 236°54′W﻿ / ﻿66.9°N 236.9°W﻿ / 66.9; -236.9﻿ (Junín Lacus) | 6.3 | 16 September 2010 | Lake Junín, Peru | WGPSN
Karakul Lacus | 86°18′N 56°36′W﻿ / ﻿86.3°N 56.6°W﻿ / 86.3; -56.6﻿ (Karakul Lacus) | 18.4 | 7 August 2017 | Lake Karakul, Tajikistan | WGPSN
Kayangan Lacus | 86°18′S 236°54′W﻿ / ﻿86.3°S 236.9°W﻿ / -86.3; -236.9﻿ (Kayangan Lacus) | 6.2 | 27 December 2015 | Kayangan Lake, Philippines | WGPSN
Kivu Lacus | 87°00′N 121°00′W﻿ / ﻿87.0°N 121.0°W﻿ / 87.0; -121.0﻿ (Kivu Lacus) | 77.5 | 14 November 2008 | Lake Kivu, on the border of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo | WGPSN
Koitere Lacus | 79°24′N 36°08′W﻿ / ﻿79.4°N 36.14°W﻿ / 79.4; -36.14﻿ (Koitere Lacus) | 68 | 27 September 2007 | Koitere, Finland | WGPSN
Ladoga Lacus | 74°48′N 26°06′W﻿ / ﻿74.8°N 26.1°W﻿ / 74.8; -26.1﻿ (Ladoga Lacus) | 110 | 24 May 2013 | Lake Ladoga, Russia | WGPSN
Lagdo Lacus | 75°30′N 125°42′W﻿ / ﻿75.5°N 125.7°W﻿ / 75.5; -125.7﻿ (Lagdo Lacus) | 37.8 | 26 June 2017 | Lagdo Reservoir, Cameroon | WGPSN
Lanao Lacus | 71°00′N 217°42′W﻿ / ﻿71.0°N 217.7°W﻿ / 71.0; -217.7﻿ (Lanao Lacus) | 34.5 | 16 September 2010 | Lake Lanao, Philippines | WGPSN
Letas Lacus | 81°18′N 88°12′W﻿ / ﻿81.3°N 88.2°W﻿ / 81.3; -88.2﻿ (Letas Lacus) | 23.7 | 7 August 2017 | Lake Letas, Vanuatu | WGPSN
Logtak Lacus | 70°48′N 124°06′W﻿ / ﻿70.8°N 124.1°W﻿ / 70.8; -124.1﻿ (Logtak Lacus) | 14.3 | 16 September 2010 | Loktak Lake, India | WGPSN
Mackay Lacus | 78°19′N 97°32′W﻿ / ﻿78.32°N 97.53°W﻿ / 78.32; -97.53﻿ (Mackay Lacus) | 180 | 27 September 2007 | Lake Mackay, Australia | WGPSN
Maracaibo Lacus | 75°18′N 127°42′W﻿ / ﻿75.3°N 127.7°W﻿ / 75.3; -127.7﻿ (Maracaibo Lacus) | 20.4 | 6 June 2017 | Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela | WGPSN
Müggel Lacus | 84°26′N 203°30′W﻿ / ﻿84.44°N 203.5°W﻿ / 84.44; -203.5﻿ (Müggel Lacus) | 170 | 3 December 2013 | Müggelsee, Germany | WGPSN
Muzhwi Lacus | 74°48′N 126°18′W﻿ / ﻿74.8°N 126.3°W﻿ / 74.8; -126.3﻿ (Muzhwi Lacus) | 36 | 6 June 2017 | Muzhwi Dam, Zimbabwe | WGPSN
Mweru Lacus | 71°54′N 131°48′W﻿ / ﻿71.9°N 131.8°W﻿ / 71.9; -131.8﻿ (Mweru Lacus) | 20.6 | 6 June 2017 | Lake Mweru, on Zambia-Democratic Republic of the Congo border | WGPSN
Mývatn Lacus | 78°11′N 135°17′W﻿ / ﻿78.19°N 135.28°W﻿ / 78.19; -135.28﻿ (Mývatn Lacus) | 55 | 27 September 2007 | Mývatn, Iceland | WGPSN
Neagh Lacus | 81°07′N 32°10′W﻿ / ﻿81.11°N 32.16°W﻿ / 81.11; -32.16﻿ (Neagh Lacus) | 98 | 27 September 2007 | Lough Neagh, Northern Ireland | WGPSN
Negra Lacus | 75°30′N 128°54′W﻿ / ﻿75.5°N 128.9°W﻿ / 75.5; -128.9﻿ (Negra Lacus) | 15.3 | 6 June 2017 | Lake Negra, Uruguay | WGPSN
Ohrid Lacus | 71°48′N 221°54′W﻿ / ﻿71.8°N 221.9°W﻿ / 71.8; -221.9﻿ (Ohrid Lacus) | 17.3 | 16 September 2010 | Lake Ohrid, on the border of North Macedonia and Albania | WGPSN
Olomega Lacus | 78°42′N 122°12′W﻿ / ﻿78.7°N 122.2°W﻿ / 78.7; -122.2﻿ (Olomega Lacus) | 15.7 | 26 June 2017 | Lake Olomega, El Salvador | WGPSN
Oneida Lacus | 76°08′N 131°50′W﻿ / ﻿76.14°N 131.83°W﻿ / 76.14; -131.83﻿ (Oneida Lacus) | 51 | 27 September 2007 | Oneida Lake, United States | WGPSN
Ontario Lacus | 72°00′S 183°00′W﻿ / ﻿72.0°S 183.0°W﻿ / -72.0; -183.0﻿ (Ontario Lacus) | 235 | 2006 | Lake Ontario, on the border between Canada and the United States. | WGPSN
Phewa Lacus | 72°12′N 124°00′W﻿ / ﻿72.2°N 124°W﻿ / 72.2; -124﻿ (Phewa Lacus) | 12 | 6 June 2017 | Phewa Lake, Nepal | WGPSN
Pielinen Lacus | 71°20′N 179°40′W﻿ / ﻿71.34°N 179.66°W﻿ / 71.34; -179.66﻿ (Pielinen Lacus) | 88 | 13 April 2022 | Pielinen, Finland | WGPSN
Prespa Lacus | 73°06′N 135°42′W﻿ / ﻿73.1°N 135.7°W﻿ / 73.1; -135.7﻿ (Prespa Lacus) | 43.7 | 6 June 2017 | Lake Prespa, on tripoint of North Macedonia, Albania and Greece | WGPSN
Qinghai Lacus | 83°24′N 51°30′W﻿ / ﻿83.4°N 51.5°W﻿ / 83.4; -51.5﻿ (Qinghai Lacus) | 44.3 | 7 August 2017 | Qinghai Lake, China | WGPSN
Quilotoa Lacus | 80°18′N 120°06′W﻿ / ﻿80.3°N 120.1°W﻿ / 80.3; -120.1﻿ (Quilotoa Lacus) | 11.8 | 26 June 2017 | Quilotoa, Ecuador | WGPSN
Rannoch Lacus | 74°12′N 129°18′W﻿ / ﻿74.2°N 129.3°W﻿ / 74.2; -129.3﻿ (Rannoch Lacus) | 63.5 | 6 June 2017 | Loch Rannoch, Scotland | WGPSN
Roca Lacus | 79°48′N 123°30′W﻿ / ﻿79.8°N 123.5°W﻿ / 79.8; -123.5﻿ (Roca Lacus) | 46 | 26 June 2017 | Las Rocas Lake, Chile | WGPSN
Rukwa Lacus | 74°48′N 134°48′W﻿ / ﻿74.8°N 134.8°W﻿ / 74.8; -134.8﻿ (Rukwa Lacus) | 36 | 6 June 2017 | Lake Rukwa, Tanzania | WGPSN
Rwegura Lacus | 71°30′N 105°12′W﻿ / ﻿71.5°N 105.2°W﻿ / 71.5; -105.2﻿ (Rwegura Lacus) | 21.7 | 26 June 2017 | Rwegura Dam, Burundi | WGPSN
Sarygamysh Lacus | 84°38′N 103°55′W﻿ / ﻿84.64°N 103.92°W﻿ / 84.64; -103.92﻿ (Sarygamysh Lacus) | 19 | 13 April 2022 | Sarygamysh Lake in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan | WGPSN
Sevan Lacus | 69°42′N 225°36′W﻿ / ﻿69.7°N 225.6°W﻿ / 69.7; -225.6﻿ (Sevan Lacus) | 46.9 | 16 September 2010 | Lake Sevan, Armenia | WGPSN
Shoji Lacus | 79°42′S 166°24′W﻿ / ﻿79.7°S 166.4°W﻿ / -79.7; -166.4﻿ (Shoji Lacus) | 5.8 | 27 December 2015 | Lake Shoji, Japan | WGPSN
Sionascaig Lacus | 41°31′S 278°07′W﻿ / ﻿41.52°S 278.12°W﻿ / -41.52; -278.12﻿ (Sionascaig Lacus) | 143.2 | 12 March 2013 | Loch Sionascaig, Scotland | WGPSN
Sotonera Lacus | 76°45′N 17°29′W﻿ / ﻿76.75°N 17.49°W﻿ / 76.75; -17.49﻿ (Sotonera Lacus) | 63 | 27 September 2007 | Lake Sotonera, Spain | WGPSN
Sparrow Lacus | 84°18′N 64°42′W﻿ / ﻿84.3°N 64.7°W﻿ / 84.3; -64.7﻿ (Sparrow Lacus) | 81.4 | 27 September 2007 | Sparrow Lake, Canada | WGPSN
Suwa Lacus | 74°06′N 135°12′W﻿ / ﻿74.1°N 135.2°W﻿ / 74.1; -135.2﻿ (Suwa Lacus) | 12 | 6 June 2017 | Lake Suwa, Japan | WGPSN
Synevyr Lacus | 81°00′N 53°36′W﻿ / ﻿81°N 53.6°W﻿ / 81; -53.6﻿ (Synevyr Lacus) | 36 | 7 August 2017 | Lake Synevyr, Ukraine | WGPSN
Taupo Lacus | 72°42′N 132°36′W﻿ / ﻿72.7°N 132.6°W﻿ / 72.7; -132.6﻿ (Taupo Lacus) | 27 | 6 June 2017 | Lake Taupō, New Zealand | WGPSN
Tengiz Lacus | 73°12′N 105°36′W﻿ / ﻿73.2°N 105.6°W﻿ / 73.2; -105.6﻿ (Tengiz Lacus) | 70 | 26 June 2017 | Lake Tengiz, Kazakhstan | WGPSN
Toba Lacus | 70°54′N 108°06′W﻿ / ﻿70.9°N 108.1°W﻿ / 70.9; -108.1﻿ (Toba Lacus) | 23.6 | 26 June 2017 | Lake Toba, Indonesia | WGPSN
Totak Lacus | 74°02′N 225°59′W﻿ / ﻿74.03°N 225.99°W﻿ / 74.03; -225.99﻿ (Totak Lacus) | 20 | 14 April 2022 | Totak, Norway | WGPSN
Towada Lacus | 71°24′N 244°12′W﻿ / ﻿71.4°N 244.2°W﻿ / 71.4; -244.2﻿ (Towada Lacus) | 24 | 7 April 2011 | Lake Towada, Japan | WGPSN
Trichonida Lacus | 81°18′N 65°18′W﻿ / ﻿81.3°N 65.3°W﻿ / 81.3; -65.3﻿ (Trichonida Lacus) | 31.5 | 7 August 2017 | Lake Trichonida, Greece | WGPSN
Tsomgo Lacus | 86°24′S 162°24′W﻿ / ﻿86.4°S 162.4°W﻿ / -86.4; -162.4﻿ (Tsomgo Lacus) | 59 | 27 December 2015 | Lake Tsomgo, India | WGPSN
Urmia Lacus | 39°16′S 276°33′W﻿ / ﻿39.27°S 276.55°W﻿ / -39.27; -276.55﻿ (Urmia Lacus) | 28.6 | 12 March 2013 | Lake Urmia, Iran | WGPSN
Uvs Lacus | 69°36′N 245°42′W﻿ / ﻿69.6°N 245.7°W﻿ / 69.6; -245.7﻿ (Uvs Lacus) | 26.9 | 16 September 2010 | Uvs Lake, Mongolia | WGPSN
Vänern Lacus | 70°24′N 223°06′W﻿ / ﻿70.4°N 223.1°W﻿ / 70.4; -223.1﻿ (Vänern Lacus) | 43.9 | 16 September 2010 | Vänern, Sweden | WGPSN
Van Lacus | 74°12′N 137°18′W﻿ / ﻿74.2°N 137.3°W﻿ / 74.2; -137.3﻿ (Van Lacus) | 32.7 | 6 June 2017 | Lake Van, Turkey | WGPSN
Viedma Lacus | 72°00′N 125°42′W﻿ / ﻿72°N 125.7°W﻿ / 72; -125.7﻿ (Viedma Lacus) | 42 | 6 June 2017 | Viedma Lake, Argentina | WGPSN
Waikare Lacus | 81°36′N 126°00′W﻿ / ﻿81.6°N 126.0°W﻿ / 81.6; -126.0﻿ (Waikare Lacus) | 52.5 | 27 September 2007 | Lake Waikare, New Zealand | WGPSN
Weija Lacus | 68°46′N 327°41′W﻿ / ﻿68.77°N 327.68°W﻿ / 68.77; -327.68﻿ (Weija Lacus) | 12 | 12 March 2020 | Lake Weija, Ghana | WGPSN
Winnipeg Lacus | 78°03′N 153°19′W﻿ / ﻿78.05°N 153.31°W﻿ / 78.05; -153.31﻿ (Winnipeg Lacus) | 60 | 26 February 2018 | Lake Winnipeg, Canada | WGPSN
Xolotlán Lacus | 82°18′N 72°54′W﻿ / ﻿82.3°N 72.9°W﻿ / 82.3; -72.9﻿ (Xolotlan Lacus) | 57.4 | 7 August 2017 | Lake Xolotlán, Nicaragua | WGPSN
Yessey Lacus | 73°00′N 110°48′W﻿ / ﻿73°N 110.8°W﻿ / 73; -110.8﻿ (Yessey Lacus) | 24.5 | 26 June 2017 | Lake Yessey, Siberia, Russia | WGPSN
Yojoa Lacus | 78°06′N 54°06′W﻿ / ﻿78.1°N 54.1°W﻿ / 78.1; -54.1﻿ (Yojoa Lacus) | 58.3 | 7 August 2017 | Lake Yojoa, Honduras | WGPSN
Ypoa Lacus | 73°24′N 132°12′W﻿ / ﻿73.4°N 132.2°W﻿ / 73.4; -132.2﻿ (Ypoa Lacus) | 39.2 | 6 June 2017 | Lake Ypoá, Paraguay | WGPSN
Zaza Lacus | 72°24′N 106°54′W﻿ / ﻿72.4°N 106.9°W﻿ / 72.4; -106.9﻿ (Zaza Lacus) | 29 | 26 June 2017 | Zaza Reservoir, Cuba | WGPSN
Zub Lacus | 71°42′N 102°36′W﻿ / ﻿71.7°N 102.6°W﻿ / 71.7; -102.6﻿ (Zub Lacus) | 19.5 | 7 August 2017 | Zub Lake, Antarctica | WGPSN

### Lakebed names of Titan

[edit]

Lacunae | Coordinates | Length (km) | Approval Date | Named after | Ref

|
|
|
|
|

Atacama Lacuna | 68°12′N 227°36′W﻿ / ﻿68.2°N 227.6°W﻿ / 68.2; -227.6﻿ (Atacama Lacuna) | 35.9 | 21 December 2010 | Salar de Atacama, intermittent lake in Chile | WGPSN
Cerknica Lacuna | 71°07′N 175°34′W﻿ / ﻿71.12°N 175.56°W﻿ / 71.12; -175.56﻿ (Cerknica Lacuna) | 96 | 13 April 2022 | Lake Cerknica, intermittent lake in Slovenia | WGPSN
Eyre Lacuna | 72°36′N 225°06′W﻿ / ﻿72.6°N 225.1°W﻿ / 72.6; -225.1﻿ (Eyre Lacuna) | 25.4 | 21 December 2010 | Lake Eyre, an intermittent lake in Australia | WGPSN
Jerid Lacuna | 66°42′N 221°00′W﻿ / ﻿66.7°N 221°W﻿ / 66.7; -221﻿ (Jerid Lacuna) | 42.6 | 21 December 2010 | Chott el Djerid, intermittent lake in Tunisia | WGPSN
Kutch Lacuna | 88°24′N 217°00′W﻿ / ﻿88.4°N 217°W﻿ / 88.4; -217﻿ (Kutch Lacuna) | 175 | 3 December 2013 | Great Rann of Kutch, intermittent lake on Pakistani-Indian border | WGPSN
Melrhir Lacuna | 64°54′N 212°36′W﻿ / ﻿64.9°N 212.6°W﻿ / 64.9; -212.6﻿ (Melrhir Lacuna) | 23 | 21 December 2010 | Chott Melrhir, intermittent lake in Algeria | WGPSN
Nakuru Lacuna | 65°49′N 94°00′W﻿ / ﻿65.81°N 94°W﻿ / 65.81; -94﻿ (Nakuru Lacuna) | 188 | 3 December 2013 | Lake Nakuru, intermittent lake in Kenya | WGPSN
Ngami Lacuna | 66°42′N 213°54′W﻿ / ﻿66.7°N 213.9°W﻿ / 66.7; -213.9﻿ (Ngami Lacuna) | 37.2 | 21 December 2010 | Lake Ngami, in Botswana, and like its terrestrial namesake is considered to be endorheic. | WGPSN
Orog Lacuna | 70°51′N 172°04′W﻿ / ﻿70.85°N 172.06°W﻿ / 70.85; -172.06﻿ (Orog Lacuna) | 42 | 13 April 2022 | Orog Lake, intermittent lake in Mongolia | WGPSN
Racetrack Lacuna | 66°06′N 224°54′W﻿ / ﻿66.1°N 224.9°W﻿ / 66.1; -224.9﻿ (Racetrack Lacuna) | 9.9 | 21 December 2010 | Racetrack Playa, intermittent lake in California, USA | WGPSN
Uyuni Lacuna | 66°18′N 228°24′W﻿ / ﻿66.3°N 228.4°W﻿ / 66.3; -228.4﻿ (Uyuni Lacuna) | 27 | 21 December 2010 | Salar de Uyuni, intermittent lake and world's largest salt flat in Bolivia | WGPSN
Veliko Lacuna | 76°48′S 33°06′W﻿ / ﻿76.8°S 33.1°W﻿ / -76.8; -33.1﻿ (Veliko Lacuna) | 93 | 20 July 2015 | Veliko Lake, intermittent lake in Bosnia-Herzegovina | WGPSN
Woytchugga Lacuna | 68°53′N 109°00′W﻿ / ﻿68.88°N 109.0°W﻿ / 68.88; -109.0﻿ (Woytchugga Lacuna) | 449 | 3 December 2013 | Lake Woytchugga, intermittent lake in Australia. | WGPSN

### Bay names of Titan

[edit]

Name | Coordinates | Liquid body | Length (km)[note 1] | Approval Date | Source of name | Ref

|
|
|
|
|
|

Arnar Sinus | 72°36′N 322°00′W﻿ / ﻿72.6°N 322°W﻿ / 72.6; -322﻿ (Arnar Sinus) | Kraken Mare | 101 | 19 January 2015 | Arnar, fjord in Iceland | WGPSN
Avacha Sinus | 82°52′N 335°26′W﻿ / ﻿82.87°N 335.43°W﻿ / 82.87; -335.43﻿ (Avacha Sinus) | Punga Mare | 51 | 12 March 2020 | Avacha Bay in Kamchatka, Russia | WGPSN
Baffin Sinus | 80°21′N 344°37′W﻿ / ﻿80.35°N 344.62°W﻿ / 80.35; -344.62﻿ (Baffin Sinus) | Kraken Mare | 110 | 9 January 2018 | Baffin Bay between Canada and Greenland | WGPSN
Boni Sinus | 78°41′N 345°23′W﻿ / ﻿78.69°N 345.38°W﻿ / 78.69; -345.38﻿ (Boni Sinus) | Kraken Mare | 54 | 9 January 2018 | Gulf of Boni in Indonesia | WGPSN
Dingle Sinus | 81°22′N 336°26′W﻿ / ﻿81.36°N 336.44°W﻿ / 81.36; -336.44﻿ (Dingle Sinus) | Kraken Mare | 80 | 9 January 2018 | Dingle Bay in Ireland | WGPSN
Fagaloa Sinus | 82°54′N 320°30′W﻿ / ﻿82.9°N 320.5°W﻿ / 82.9; -320.5﻿ (Fagaloa Sinus) | Punga Mare | 33 | 14 December 2020 | Fagaloa Bay in Upolu Island, Samoa | WGPSN
Flensborg Sinus | 64°54′N 295°18′W﻿ / ﻿64.9°N 295.3°W﻿ / 64.9; -295.3﻿ (Flensborg Sinus) | Kraken Mare | 115 | 19 January 2015 | Flensburg Firth, fjord between Denmark and Germany | WGPSN
Fundy Sinus | 83°16′N 315°38′W﻿ / ﻿83.26°N 315.64°W﻿ / 83.26; -315.64﻿ (Fundy Sinus) | Punga Mare | 91 | 12 March 2020 | Bay of Fundy in Canada that hosts the world's largest tides[57] | WGPSN
Gabes Sinus | 67°36′N 289°36′W﻿ / ﻿67.6°N 289.6°W﻿ / 67.6; -289.6﻿ (Gabes Sinus) | Kraken Mare | 147 | 19 January 2015 | Gabes, or Syrtis minor, a bay in Tunisia | WGPSN
Genova Sinus | 80°07′N 326°37′W﻿ / ﻿80.11°N 326.61°W﻿ / 80.11; -326.61﻿ (Genova Sinus) | Kraken Mare | 125 | 9 January 2018 | Gulf of Genoa in Italy | WGPSN
Kumbaru Sinus | 56°48′N 303°48′W﻿ / ﻿56.8°N 303.8°W﻿ / 56.8; -303.8﻿ (Kumbaru Sinus) | Kraken Mare | 122 | 19 January 2015 | Bay in India | WGPSN
Lulworth Sinus | 67°11′N 316°53′W﻿ / ﻿67.19°N 316.88°W﻿ / 67.19; -316.88﻿ (Lulworth Sinus) | Kraken Mare | 24 | 12 March 2020 | Lulworth Cove in southern England | WGPSN
Maizuru Sinus | 78°54′N 352°32′W﻿ / ﻿78.9°N 352.53°W﻿ / 78.9; -352.53﻿ (Maizuru Sinus) | Kraken Mare | 92 | 9 January 2018 | Maizuru Bay in Japan | WGPSN
Manza Sinus | 79°17′N 346°06′W﻿ / ﻿79.29°N 346.1°W﻿ / 79.29; -346.1﻿ (Manza Sinus) | Kraken Mare | 37 | 9 January 2018 | Manza Bay in Tanzania | WGPSN
Montego Sinus | 80°46′N 130°55′W﻿ / ﻿80.76°N 130.92°W﻿ / 80.76; -130.92﻿ (Montego Sinus) |  | 83 | 13 April 2022 | Montego Bay in Jamaica | WGPSN
Moray Sinus | 76°36′N 281°24′W﻿ / ﻿76.6°N 281.4°W﻿ / 76.6; -281.4﻿ (Moray Sinus) | Kraken Mare | 204 | 19 January 2015 | Moray Firth in Scotland | WGPSN
Nicoya Sinus | 74°48′N 251°12′W﻿ / ﻿74.8°N 251.2°W﻿ / 74.8; -251.2﻿ (Nicoya Sinus) | Ligeia Mare | 130 | 19 January 2015 | Gulf of Nicoya in Costa Rica | WGPSN
Okahu Sinus | 73°42′N 282°00′W﻿ / ﻿73.7°N 282°W﻿ / 73.7; -282﻿ (Okahu Sinus) | Kraken Mare | 141 | 19 January 2015 | Okahu Bay near Auckland, New Zealand | WGPSN
Patos Sinus | 77°12′N 224°48′W﻿ / ﻿77.2°N 224.8°W﻿ / 77.2; -224.8﻿ (Patos Sinus) | Ligeia Mare | 103 | 19 January 2015 | Patos, fjord in Chile | WGPSN
Puget Sinus | 82°24′N 241°06′W﻿ / ﻿82.4°N 241.1°W﻿ / 82.4; -241.1﻿ (Puget Sinus) | Ligeia Mare | 93 | 19 January 2015 | Puget Sound in Washington, United States | WGPSN
Rombaken Sinus | 75°18′N 232°54′W﻿ / ﻿75.3°N 232.9°W﻿ / 75.3; -232.9﻿ (Rombaken Sinus) | Ligeia Mare | 92.5 | 19 January 2015 | Rombaken, fjord in Norway | WGPSN
Saldanha Sinus | 82°25′N 322°30′W﻿ / ﻿82.42°N 322.5°W﻿ / 82.42; -322.5﻿ (Saldanha Sinus) | Punga Mare | 18 | 14 December 2020 | Saldanha Bay in South Africa | WGPSN
Skelton Sinus | 76°48′N 314°54′W﻿ / ﻿76.8°N 314.9°W﻿ / 76.8; -314.9﻿ (Skelton Sinus) | Kraken Mare | 73 | 19 January 2015 | Skelton Glacier near Ross Sea, Antarctica | WGPSN
Trold Sinus | 71°18′N 292°42′W﻿ / ﻿71.3°N 292.7°W﻿ / 71.3; -292.7﻿ (Trold Sinus) | Kraken Mare | 118 | 19 January 2015 | Trold Fiord Formation in Nunavut, Canada | WGPSN
Tumaco Sinus | 82°33′N 315°13′W﻿ / ﻿82.55°N 315.22°W﻿ / 82.55; -315.22﻿ (Puget Sinus) | Punga Mare | 31 | 14 December 2020 | Tumaco, port city and bay in Colombia | WGPSN
Tunu Sinus | 79°12′N 299°48′W﻿ / ﻿79.2°N 299.8°W﻿ / 79.2; -299.8﻿ (Tunu Sinus) | Kraken Mare | 134 | 19 January 2015 | Tunu, fjord in Greenland | WGPSN
Wakasa Sinus | 80°42′N 270°00′W﻿ / ﻿80.7°N 270°W﻿ / 80.7; -270﻿ (Wakasa Sinus) | Ligeia Mare | 146 | 19 January 2015 | Wakasa Bay in Japan | WGPSN
Walvis Sinus | 58°12′N 324°06′W﻿ / ﻿58.2°N 324.1°W﻿ / 58.2; -324.1﻿ (Walvis Sinus) | Kraken Mare | 253 | 19 January 2015 | Walvis Bay in Namibia | WGPSN

### Island names of Titan

[edit]

Insula | Coordinates | Liquid body | Diameter (km) | Approval Date | Named after | Ref

|
|
|
|
|
|

Bermoothes Insula | 67°06′N 317°06′W﻿ / ﻿67.1°N 317.1°W﻿ / 67.1; -317.1﻿ (Bermoothes Insula) | Kraken Mare | 124 | 19 January 2015 | Bermoothes, an enchanted island in Shakespeare's Tempest | WGPSN
Bimini Insula | 73°18′N 305°24′W﻿ / ﻿73.3°N 305.4°W﻿ / 73.3; -305.4﻿ (Bimini Insula) | Kraken Mare | 39 | 19 January 2015 | Bimini, island in Arawak legend said to contain the fountain of youth. | WGPSN
Bralgu Insula | 76°12′N 251°30′W﻿ / ﻿76.2°N 251.5°W﻿ / 76.2; -251.5﻿ (Bralgu Insula) | Ligeia Mare | 55 | 19 January 2015 | Baralku, in Yolngu culture, the island of the dead and the place where the Djanggawul, the three creator siblings, originated. | WGPSN
Buyan Insula | 77°18′N 245°06′W﻿ / ﻿77.3°N 245.1°W﻿ / 77.3; -245.1﻿ (Buyan Insula) | Ligeia Mare | 48 | 19 January 2015 | Buyan, a rocky island in Russian folk tales located on the south shore of Baltic Sea | WGPSN
Hawaiki Insulae | 84°19′N 327°04′W﻿ / ﻿84.32°N 327.07°W﻿ / 84.32; -327.07﻿ (Hawaiki Insulae) | Punga Mare | 35 | 14 December 2020 | Hawaiki, original home island of the Polynesian people in local mythology | WGPSN
Hufaidh Insulae | 67°00′N 320°18′W﻿ / ﻿67°N 320.3°W﻿ / 67; -320.3﻿ (Hufaidh Insulae) | Kraken Mare | 152 | 19 January 2015 | Hufaidh, legendary island in the marshes of southern Iraq | WGPSN
Krocylea Insulae | 69°06′N 302°24′W﻿ / ﻿69.1°N 302.4°W﻿ / 69.1; -302.4﻿ (Kocylea Insulae) | Kraken Mare | 74 | 19 January 2015 | Crocylea, mythological Greek island in the Ionian Sea, near Ithaca | WGPSN
Mayda Insula | 79°06′N 312°12′W﻿ / ﻿79.1°N 312.2°W﻿ / 79.1; -312.2﻿ (Mayda Insula) | Kraken Mare | 168 | 11 April 2008 | Mayda, legendary island in the northeast Atlantic | WGPSN
Meropis Insula | 83°51′N 313°41′W﻿ / ﻿83.85°N 313.68°W﻿ / 83.85; -313.68﻿ (Meropis Insula) | Punga Mare | 30 | 14 December 2020 | Meropis, fictional island mentioned by ancient Greek writer Theopompus in his work Philippica | WGPSN
Onogoro Insula | 83°17′N 311°42′W﻿ / ﻿83.28°N 311.7°W﻿ / 83.28; -311.7﻿ (Onogoro Insula) | Punga Mare | 15 | 14 December 2020 | Onogoro Island, Japanese mythological island | WGPSN
Penglai Insula | 72°12′N 308°42′W﻿ / ﻿72.2°N 308.7°W﻿ / 72.2; -308.7﻿ (Penglai Insula) | Kraken Mare | 94 | 19 January 2015 | Penglai, mythological Chinese mountain island where immortals and gods lived. | WGPSN
Planctae Insulae | 77°30′N 251°18′W﻿ / ﻿77.5°N 251.3°W﻿ / 77.5; -251.3﻿ (Planctae Insulae) | Ligeia Mare | 64 | 19 January 2015 | Symplegades, the "clashing rocks" in Bosphorus which only Argo was said to have successfully passed. | WGPSN
Royllo Insula | 68°18′N 297°12′W﻿ / ﻿68.3°N 297.2°W﻿ / 68.3; -297.2﻿ (Royllo Insula) | Kraken Mare | 103 | 19 January 2015 | Royllo, legendary island in the Atlantic, on verge of unknown, near Antilla and Saint Brandan. | WGPSN

## Image gallery

[edit]

* Maps of Titan's polar regions based on images from Cassini's ISS showing hydrocarbon lakes and seas. Bodies of liquid hydrocarbons are outlined in red; the blue outline indicates a body that appeared during the 2004-2005 interval.

* High-resolution false-color Cassini synthetic aperture radar mosaic of Titan's north polar region, showing hydrocarbon seas, lakes and tributary networks. Blue coloring indicates low radar reflectivity areas, caused by bodies of liquid ethane, methane and dissolved nitrogen.[1] About half of Kraken Mare, the large body at lower left, is outside the image. Ligeia Mare is the large body at lower right. Punga Mare is just left of center. Jingpo Lacus is just above Kraken Mare, and Bolsena Lacus is directly above it.

* Cassini view of Titan's north polar seas and lakes in the near infrared. Ligeia Mare is at top; Punga Mare is below it and Kraken Mare is to its lower right.

* Between July 2004 and June 2005, new dark features appeared in Arrakis Planitia, a low plain in Titan's south polar region. These are interpreted as new bodies of liquid hydrocarbon resulting from precipitation from the clouds observed in the area in October 2004.

* Titan's north polar lakes appear to have been stable for at least one Titanean season (seven Earth years).

* Natural color visible-near infrared view of Titan showing its north polar seas and lakes at upper left.

## See also

[edit]

* Atmosphere of Titan
* Lakes on Mars – Former Bodies of Water on Mars
* List of largest lakes and seas in the Solar System
* Tar pit – Asphalt pit or asphalt lake

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ a b c The USGS web site gives size as a "diameter", but it is actually the length in the longest dimension.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Coustenis, A.; Taylor, F. W. (21 July 2008). Titan: Exploring an Earthlike World. World Scientific. pp. 154–155\. ISBN 978-981-281-161-5. OCLC 144226016. Retrieved 2013-12-29.
2. ^ Mitri, Giuseppe; Showman, Adam P.; Lunine, Jonathan I.; Lorenz, Ralph D. (2007-02-01). "Hydrocarbon lakes on Titan". Icarus. 186 (2): 385–394\. Bibcode:2007Icar..186..385M. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2006.09.004. ISSN 0019-1035.
3. ^ a b c "Titan". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS. Retrieved 2013-12-29.
4. ^ "Vid Flumina". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS. Retrieved 2013-10-24.
5. ^ Dermott, Stanley F.; Sagan, Carl (1995). "Tidal effects of disconnected hydrocarbon seas on Titan". Nature. 374 (6519): 238–240\. Bibcode:1995Natur.374..238D. doi:10.1038/374238a0. PMID 7885443. S2CID 4317897.
6. ^ Bortman, Henry (November 2, 2004). "Titan: Where's the Wet Stuff?". Astrobiology Magazine. Archived from the original on November 3, 2006. Retrieved 2007-08-28.
7. ^ a b c Stofan, Ellen R.; Elachi, C.; Lunine, Jonathan I.; et al. (January 4, 2007). "The lakes of Titan". Nature. 445 (1): 61–64\. Bibcode:2007Natur.445...61S. doi:10.1038/nature05438. PMID 17203056. S2CID 4370622.
8. ^ Lakdawalla, Emily (June 28, 2005). "Dark Spot Near the South Pole: A Candidate Lake on Titan?". The Planetary Society. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2006-10-14.
9. ^ "NASA Cassini Radar Images Show Dramatic Shoreline on Titan" (Press release). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. September 16, 2005. Archived from the original on 2012-05-30. Retrieved 2006-10-14.
10. ^ "PIA08630: Lakes on Titan". NASA Planetary Photojournal. NASA/JPL. Retrieved 2006-10-14.
11. ^ "Titan Has Liquid Lakes, Scientists Report in Nature". NASA/JPL. January 3, 2007. Archived from the original on July 16, 2012. Retrieved 2007-01-08.
12. ^ "River networks on Titan point to a puzzling geologic history". MIT. July 20, 2012. Archived from the original on October 6, 2012. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
13. ^ Hecht, Jeff (July 11, 2011). "Ethane lakes in a red haze: Titan's uncanny moonscape". New Scientist. Retrieved 2011-07-25.
14. ^ Mitri, Giuseppe; Showman, Adam P.; Lunine, Jonathan I.; Lorenz, Ralph D. (February 2007). "Hydrocarbon Lakes on Titan" (PDF). Icarus. 186 (2): 385–394\. Bibcode:2007Icar..186..385M. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2006.09.004.
15. ^ Lakdawalla, Emily (2007). "News flash: Lakes at Titan's south pole, too, on top of the land of lakes in the north". The Planetary Society. Archived from the original on 2008-01-03. Retrieved 2007-10-12.
16. ^ Wall, Mike (2010-12-17). "Saturn Moon's 'Lake Ontario': Shallow and Virtually Wave-free". Space.com. Retrieved 2010-12-19.
17. ^ Foley, James (2013-12-20). "Depth and Volume of Methane Seas on Saturn Moon Titan Calculated". Nature World News. Retrieved 2014-04-14.
18. ^ "Titan Has More Oil Than Earth". Space.com. February 13, 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-13.
19. ^ Moskvitch, Katia (December 13, 2013). "Astrophile: Titan lake has more liquid fuel than Earth". New Scientist. Retrieved 2013-12-14.
20. ^ Hadhazy, Adam (2008). "Scientists Confirm Liquid Lake, Beach on Saturn's Moon Titan". Scientific American. Retrieved 2008-07-30.
21. ^ Hecht, Jeff (July 11, 2011). "Ethane lakes in a red haze: Titan's uncanny moonscape". New Scientist. Retrieved 2011-07-25.
22. ^ Hecht, Jeff (August 6, 2014). "Saturn Moon May Host its own Dead Sea". New Scientist. Retrieved 2014-08-23.
23. ^ Wenz, John (March 17, 2018). "Weird crystals could coat Titan". New Scientist. Vol. 237, no. 3169\. p. 8\. doi:10.1016/S0262-4079(18)30460-3. Retrieved 2018-03-23.
24. ^ Mastrogiuseppe, Marco; Poggiali, Valerio; Hayes, Alexander; Lorenz, Ralph; Lunine, Jonathan I.; Picardi, Giovanni; Seu, Roberto; Flamini, Enrico; Mitri, Giuseppe; Notarnicola, Claudia; Paillou, Philippe; Zebker, Howard (2014). "The bathymetry of a Titan sea" (PDF). Geophysical Research Letters. 41 (5): 1432–1437\. Bibcode:2014GeoRL..41.1432M. doi:10.1002/2013GL058618. S2CID 134356087.
25. ^ "NOAA's National Weather Service - Glossary". forecast.weather.gov. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
26. ^ Kirichek, O.; Church, A. J.; Thomas, M. G.; Cowdery, D.; Higgins, S. D.; Dudman, M. P.; Bowden, Z. A. (February 1, 2012). "Adhesion, plasticity and other peculiar properties of solid methane". Cryogenics. 52 (7–9): 325–330\. Bibcode:2012Cryo...52..325K. doi:10.1016/j.cryogenics.2012.02.001.7–9&rft.pages=325-330&rft.date=2012-02-01&rft_id=info:doi/10.1016/j.cryogenics.2012.02.001&rft_id=info:bibcode/2012Cryo...52..325K&rft.aulast=Kirichek&rft.aufirst=O.&rft.au=Church,+A.+J.&rft.au=Thomas,+M.+G.&rft.au=Cowdery,+D.&rft.au=Higgins,+S.+D.&rft.au=Dudman,+M.+P.&rft.au=Bowden,+Z.+A.&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Lakes+of+Titan" class="Z3988">
27. ^ "Blocks of Hydrocarbon Floating on Titan's Lakes?". February 8, 2013. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved 2013-01-10.
28. ^ Hofgartner, J. D.; Hayes, Alexander G.; Lunine, Jonathan I.; Zebker, Howard; Stiles, B. W.; Sotin, C.; Barnes, J. W.; Turtle, E. P.; Baines, K. H.; Brown, R. H.; Buratti, B. J. (July 2014). "Transient features in a Titan sea". Nature Geoscience. 7 (7): 493–496\. Bibcode:2014NatGe...7..493H. doi:10.1038/ngeo2190. ISSN 1752-0908.
29. ^ Greicius, Tony (March 15, 2017). "Experiments Show Titan Lakes May Fizz with Nitrogen". NASA. Archived from the original on 2022-01-15. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
30. ^ a b Farnsworth, Kendra K.; Chevrier, Vincent F.; Steckloff, Jordan K.; Laxton, Dustin; Singh, Sandeep; Soto, Alejandro; Soderblom, Jason M. (2019). "Nitrogen Exsolution and Bubble Formation in Titan's Lakes". Geophysical Research Letters. 46 (23): 13658–13667\. Bibcode:2019GeoRL..4613658F. doi:10.1029/2019GL084792. ISSN 1944-8007. S2CID 213542086.
31. ^ Barnes, Jason W.; Sotin, Christophe; Soderblom, Jason M.; Brown, Robert H.; Hayes, Alexander G.; Donelan, Mark; Rodriguez, Sebastien; Mouélic, Stéphane Le; Baines, Kevin H.; McCord, Thomas B. (2014-08-21). "Cassini/VIMS observes rough surfaces on Titan's Punga Mare in specular reflection". Planetary Science. 3 (1): 3. Bibcode:2014PlSci...3....3B. doi:10.1186/s13535-014-0003-4. ISSN 2191-2521. PMC 4959132. PMID 27512619.
32. ^ Hand, Eric (December 16, 2014). "Spacecraft spots probable waves on Titan's seas". Science. Retrieved 2015-01-14.
33. ^ a b Heslar, Michael F.; Barnes, Jason W.; Soderblom, Jason M.; Seignovert, Benoit; Dhingra, Rajani D.; Sotin, Christophe (2020-07-01). "Tidal Currents Detected in Kraken Mare Straits from Cassini VIMS Sun Glitter Observations". The Planetary Science Journal. 1 (2): 35. arXiv:2007.00804. Bibcode:2020PSJ.....1...35H. doi:10.3847/PSJ/aba191. S2CID 220301577.
34. ^ Hecht, Jeff (February 22, 2013). "Icy Titan spawns tropical cyclones". New Scientist. Retrieved 2013-03-09.
35. ^ Grima, Cyril; Mastrogiuseppe, Marco; Hayes, Alexander G.; Wall, Stephen D.; Lorenz, Ralph D.; Hofgartner, Jason D.; Stiles, Bryan; Elachi, Charles; Cassini Radar Team (September 15, 2017). "Surface roughness of Titan's hydrocarbon seas". Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 474: 20–24\. Bibcode:2017E&PSL.474...20G. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2017.06.007. hdl:11573/1560403.
36. ^ Cordier, Daniel; Carrasco, Nathalie (May 2, 2019). "The floatability of aerosols and waves damping on Titan's seas". Nature Geoscience. 12 (5): 315–320\. arXiv:1905.00760. Bibcode:2019NatGe..12..315C. doi:10.1038/s41561-019-0344-4. S2CID 143423109.
37. ^ Grossman, Lisa (2009-08-21). "Saturn moon's mirror-smooth lake 'good for skipping rocks'". New Scientist. Retrieved 2009-11-25.
38. ^ Wye, L. C.; Zebker, H. A.; Lorenz, R. D. (2009-08-19). "Smoothness of Titan's Ontario Lacus: Constraints from Cassini RADAR specular reflection data". Geophysical Research Letters. 36 (16): L16201. Bibcode:2009GeoRL..3616201W. doi:10.1029/2009GL039588.
39. ^ Cook, J.-R. C. (2009-12-17). "Glint of Sunlight Confirms Liquid in Northern Lake District of Titan". NASA. Archived from the original on 2011-10-09. Retrieved 2009-12-18.
40. ^ Lakdawalla, Emily (17 December 2009). "Cassini VIMS sees the long-awaited glint off a Titan lake". Planetary Society. Archived from the original on 2011-08-19. Retrieved 2009-12-17.
41. ^ "Titan probe's pebble 'bash-down'". BBC News. April 10, 2005. Retrieved 2007-08-06.
42. ^ Lakdawalla, Emily (January 15, 2005). "New Images from the Huygens Probe: Shorelines and Channels, But an Apparently Dry Surface". The Planetary Society. Archived from the original on August 29, 2007. Retrieved 2005-03-28.
43. ^ Lorenz, Ralph; Sotin, Christophe (March 2010). "The Moon That Would be a Planet". Scientific American. 302 (3): 36–43\. Bibcode:2010SciAm.302c..36L. doi:10.1038/scientificamerican0310-36. PMID 20184181.
44. ^ Griffith, C.; et al. (2012). "Possible tropical lakes on Titan from observations of dark terrain". Nature. 486 (7402): 237–239\. Bibcode:2012Natur.486..237G. doi:10.1038/nature11165. PMID 22699614. S2CID 205229194.
45. ^ "Tropical Methane Lakes on Saturn's Moon Titan". saturntoday.com. 2012. Archived from the original on 2012-11-03. Retrieved 2012-06-16.
46. ^ "Tropical Titan: Titan's Icy Climate Mimics Earth's Tropics". Astrobiology Magazine. 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-10-11. Retrieved 2007-10-16.
47. ^ "New Computer Model Explains Lakes and Storms on Titan". Saturn Today. 2012. Archived from the original on 2012-02-01. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
48. ^ Grossman, Lisa (18 October 2013). "Soggy bogs swallow craters on Titan". New Scientist. Retrieved 2013-10-29.
49. ^ Cowing, Keith (September 3, 2014). "Icy Aquifers on Titan Transform Methane Rainfall". SpaceRef. Retrieved 2014-09-03.[permanent dead link]
50. ^ Cowing, Keith (October 23, 2013). "New Views of Titan's Land of Lakes". SpaceRef. Retrieved 2013-12-18.[permanent dead link]
51. ^ Mitri, Giuseppe; Lunine, Jonathan I.; Mastrogiuseppe, Marco; Poggiali, Valerio (2019). "Possible explosion crater origin of small lake basins with raised rims on Titan" (PDF). Nature Geoscience. 12 (10): 791–796\. Bibcode:2019NatGe..12..791M. doi:10.1038/s41561-019-0429-0. hdl:11573/1560411. S2CID 201981435.
52. ^ "Giant explosions sculpted a moon's peculiar scenery". Nature. 573 (7774): 313. 13 September 2019. doi:10.1038/d41586-019-02706-1. S2CID 202641695.
53. ^ McCartney, G.; Johnson, A. (9 September 2019). "New Models Suggest Titan Lakes Are Explosion Craters". NASA JPL. Retrieved 2019-09-16.
54. ^ Stofan, Ellen (25 August 2009). "Titan Mare Explorer (TiME): The First Exploration of an Extra-Terrestrial Sea" (PDF). Space Policy Online. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-10-24. Retrieved 2009-11-04.
55. ^ Vastag, Brian (20 August 2012). "NASA will send robot drill to Mars in 2016". Washington Post.
56. ^ "Titan lacus". USGS Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
57. ^ Garrett, Christopher (August 1972). "Tidal Resonance in the Bay of Fundy and Gulf of Maine". Nature. 238 (5365): 441–443\. Bibcode:1972Natur.238..441G. doi:10.1038/238441a0. ISSN 1476-4687. S2CID 4288383.

## External links

[edit]

* Map of Titan's north polar liquid bodies with feature names from USGS Titan system page

* v
* t
* e

Titan

* Atmosphere
* Climate
* Life

Lakes
and seas|

| Seas|

* Kraken Mare
* Ligeia Mare
* Punga Mare

|

Lakes|

* Abaya Lacus
* Bolsena Lacus
* Feia Lacus
* Hammar Lacus
* Jingpo Lacus
* Kivu Lacus
* Koitere Lacus
* Ladoga Lacus
* Mackay Lacus
* Müggel Lacus
* Neagh Lacus
* Ontario Lacus
* Sionascaig Lacus
* Sotonera Lacus
* Albano Lacus

Rivers|

* Elivagar Flumina
* Vid Flumina

Dry lakes|

* Eyre Lacuna
* Ngami Lacuna
* Woytchugga Lacuna

Features|

* Adiri
* Arrakis Planitia
* Dilmun
* Doom Mons
* Erebor Mons
* Ganesa Macula
* Guabonito
* Irensaga Montes
* Mayda Insula
* Menrva
* Mezzoramia
* Mindolluin Montes
* Misty Montes
* Mithrim Montes
* Perkunas Virgae
* Selk
* Shangri-La
* Shikoku Facula
* Sinlap
* Sotra Patera
* Taniquetil Montes
* Tsegihi
* Tui Regio
* Xanadu

Exploration|

| Past|

* Pioneer program
* Pioneer 11
* Voyager program
* Voyager 1
* Voyager 2
* Cassini–Huygens
* Huygens

|

Planned and proposed|

* Dragonfly (2028)
* AVIATR
* Explorer of Enceladus and Titan
* Journey to Enceladus and Titan
* TALISE
* Titan Mare Explorer
* Titan Submarine
* Titan Saturn System Mission
* Titan Winged Aerobot
* Oceanus

Related|

* Colonization of Titan
* In fiction
* In mythology

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template