Terrestrial Craters as Analogues for Degraded Craters on Titan
Abstract
Besides Earth, Titan is the only planetary body in our Solar System to currently have flowing liquid on its surface. Previous works note that dendritic and rectangular stream networks are present on a global scale on Titan, but do not map networks in the vicinity of Titan’s impact craters: Selk and Sinlap. The objective of this work is to understand how stream networks form adjacent to Titan’s impact craters. This information will inform future missions to Titan (i.e., Dragonfly) about the fluvial morphology of streams near their landing site. I conduct an analogue study with the stream networks at three terrestrial craters, Haughton, Siljan, and Popigai, to determine the effect of faults and target lithology on the morphology of their stream networks. My results suggest that Haughton’s streams are strongly controlled by faulting with a high percentage of networks classified as rectangular and that the crater’s geologic environment is the most analogous to craters on Titan. Preliminary mapping of Selk and Sinlap craters suggests that dendritic and rectangular networks are also present around impact craters on Titan.