Moist convective clouds in Titan's atmosphere

Abstract

We examine moist convection as a plausible mechanism for driving large vertical motions and mixing in the troposphere of Titan. The model used here is based on that ofStoker[1986] for Jupiter — a one dimensional diagnostic model of cumulus clouds developed to calculate cloud temperature and vertical velocity profiles ‐ incorporating an improved treatment of the drag effect of condensate on the buoyancy of the plumes. We find that under conditions plausible for the near surface of Titan, moist convection can occur with vertical velocity in excess of 1–13 m/s but that such plumes occupy only a very small fraction of the surface area of Titan. Nonetheless, we also find that such plumes may be the primary means of moving methane and other trace species from the surface into Titan's upper troposphere.