Morphotectonic features on Titan and their possible origin

Spectro-imaging and radar measurements by the Cassini–Huygens mission suggest that some of the Saturnian satellites may be geologically active and could support tectonic processes. In particular Titan, Saturnʹs largest moon, possesses a complex and dynamic geology as witnessed by its varied surface morphology resulting from aeolian, fluvial, and possibly tectonic and endogenous cryovolcanic processes. The Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) instrument on board Cassini spacecraft, indicates the possibility for morphotectonic features on Titanʹs surface such as mountains, ridges, faults and canyons. The mechanisms that formed these morphotectonic structures are still unclear since ensuing processes, such as erosion may have modified or partially obscured them. Due to the limitations of Cassini–Huygens in the acquisition of in situ measurements or samples relevant to geotectonics processes and the lack of high spatial resolution imaging, we do not have precise enough data of the morphology and topography of Titan. However we suggest that contractional tectonism followed by atmospheric modifications has resulted in the observed morphotectonic features. To test the possibility of morphotectonics on Titan, we provide in this work a comparative study between Cassini observations of the satellite versus terrestrial tectonic systems and infer suggestions for possible formation mechanisms.