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Ann. Geophys., 24, 2115-2129, 2006
www.ann-geophys.net/24/2115/2006/
© European Geosciences Union 2006
First simulation results of Titan's atmosphere dynamics with a global 3-D non-hydrostatic circulation model
I. V. Mingalev1, V. S. Mingalev1, O. V. Mingalev1, B. Kazeminejad2, H. Lammer2, H. K. Biernat2, H. I. M. Lichtenegger2, K. Schwingenschuh2, and H. O. Rucker2
1Polar Geophysical Institute, Kola Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Fersman str. 14, 184209, Apatity, Murmansk Region, Russia
2Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Schmiedlstr. 6, A-8042 Graz, Austria
Abstract. We present the first results of a 3-D General Circulation Model of
Titan's atmosphere which differs from traditional models in that
the hydrostatic equation is not used and all three
components of the neutral gas velocity are obtained from the
numerical solution of the Navier-Stokes equation. The current
version of our GCM is, however, a simplified version, as it uses a
predescribed temperature field in the model region thereby avoiding the complex
simulation of radiative transfer based on the energy equation. We
present the first simulation results and compare them to the results of
existing GCMs and direct wind observations. The wind speeds obtained
from our GCM correspond well with data obtained during the Huygens
probe descent through Titan's atmosphere. We interpret the most
unexpected feature of these data which consist of the presence of a
non-monotonicity of the altitude profile of the zonal wind speed
between 60 and 75 km.
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