Weird 'Island' on Saturn Moon Titan Puzzles Scientists

Link to video

NASA's Cassini spacecraft has spotted an odd islandlike feature in Ligeia Mare, one of Titan's largest hydrocarbon seas. Scientists don't know what to make of the feature, which has apparently doubled in size over the past year or so, from about 30 square miles to 60 square miles (78 to 155 square kilometers).

"Science loves a mystery, and with this enigmatic feature, we have a thrilling example of ongoing change on Titan," Cassini radar team deputy leader Stephen Wall, of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, said in a statement. "We're hopeful that we'll be able to continue watching the changes unfold and gain insights about what's going on in that alien sea."



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So only a few possible explanations have been suggested so far, and they are: 'Rising Bubbles?' or 'Surface Waves?' or maybe a change in seasons?
It could also be floating solids, solids that are suspended just below the surface or perhaps something more exotic???.
Titan is a fascinating moon, I hope I am still here when we finally land something significant on it.

More links
NASA

a reply to: skyblueworld

Could be after effects of impactor. How long do those last?

Or cryo 'cano.

Awesome weird place.

Looks like a smoke or vapor from a geyser

a reply to: intrptr

I think we would see the ejection of more material if it was an impactor, but with it being on Titan, I could only give the difference with that of Earth, where we would have dust, ash and other materials cloud the atmosphere. Depending on the size e.t.c.

a reply to: skyblueworld
Maybe whatever material it is made of is thawing and freezing like ice on a mountain. If you look at the first and last pic a lot of the surface reflection changes.

a reply to: skyblueworld

Hard to see from those pics. Like Pentagon time lapse, lol.

Hawaiian Island chain is over a hotspot that could be an ancient impactor site. The heat and energy is there for hundreds of millions of years.

If there is a "liquid lake" there of cryo chemicals, maybe that is what signifies some residual heat under the crust?

Seems the Solar system is full of tortured surfaces, pock marks and craters. An ice ball would "heal" quicker than solid rock.

Just musing.

Esit to add:

Titan is the only other moon with a significant "atmosphere", maybe that is the best evidence for a giant impact somewhere on its surface. So large, the "dust" hasn't settled yet.

Here is a link to the thread about it in June: ATS Thread

a reply to: butcherguy

Thanks for the link. My links which I have provided were updated today, hence me thinking it may of been 'new' news.

originally posted by: skyblueworld
a reply to: butcherguy

Thanks for the link. My links which I have provided were updated today, hence me thinking it may of been 'new' news.

I remembered seeing the story before. I wasn't sure what all was covered in your links, so I wanted you to see what had been posted in that other thread, maybe see some other ideas on what a possible explanation may be.

a reply to: skyblueworld

That's an interesting mystery on an interesting Moon

The team has suggested the feature could be surface waves, rising bubbles, floating solids, solids suspended just below the surface, or perhaps something more exotic.

I'd like to know what the term "more exotic" could encompass , no doubt the explanation of what the feature is won't be as interesting or exotic as our imaginations can conjure.

originally posted by: skyblueworld

I had a thought, (believe it or not)
Titan has volcanoes well, water volcanoes and kind of turns itself inside out spewing out water which should turn to ice and perhaps trapping the gaseous Methane in a coating of ice at least temporarily, then releasing it when the ice melts, and what we see here is the visual effects. I remember Carl Sagan talking about something like this years ago, although it wasn't about Titan, at least I don't think so.

a reply to: skyblueworld

Maybe its where Atlantis went to after it "sank".

Cool article though.. Thanks for posting.