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New research suggests Saturn's moon Titan has a thick ice cover that could be warming lower areas and supporting molecular growth.

新的征询标明，土星的卫星土卫六有一层厚厚的冰盖，这可能会使较低的地区变暖，并支抓分子的孕育。

Scientists at the University of Hawaii carried out the new study. It appears in The Planetary Science Journal.

夏威夷大学的科学家进行了这项新征询。它发表在《行星科学杂志》上。

The findings add to existing evidence that Titan may hold the right mix of materials to support possible life.

这些发现增多了现存把柄，标明土卫六或者领有支抓可能生命的适合的物资组合。

No life forms have been confirmed on Titan， a cold， icy world.

土卫六是一个冰冷的天下，当今还未证明那处有生命体式存在。

But past studies suggest the moon now has a large layer of ice that once supported widely flowing water on the surface.

但昔时的征询标明，这颗卫星上有一层广泛的冰层，依然复古着名义等闲流动的水。

Titan is also thought to contain a dense atmosphere rich in nitrogen and methane， both of which are found in Earth's own atmosphere.

东说念主们还合计土卫六含有富含氮气和甲烷的旺无际气，这两种物资齐存在于地球的大气层中。

NASA reports Saturn has a total of 146 moons orbiting it， more than any other planet.

好意思国国度航空航天局论述称，土星共有146颗卫星绕其运行，比其他任何行星齐多。

Titan， an ice giant， is the largest of them.

冰川巨东说念主土卫六是其中最大的一个。

For more than 10 years， NASA's Cassini spacecraft studied Saturn "and its complex system of rings and moons，" the space agency said.

NASA暗示，在10多年的工夫里，NASA的卡西尼号航天器一直在征询土星“偏激复杂的光环和卫星系统”。

The new study used NASA data to closely examine surface details of Titan.

这项新征询使用了NASA的数据，来仔细检讨土卫六名义的细节。

The researchers used computer modeling to examine different elements of Titan's surface.

征询东说念主员使用算计机建模来检讨土卫六名义的不同元素。

One of the main discoveries was that many craters examined on Titan's surface were not as deep as some other moons.安捷影音播放器

其中一个主要发现是，在土卫六名义不雅察到的很多陨石坑莫得其他一些卫星那么深。

The team reported that in some cases， craters were hundreds of meters shallower， or less deep， than scientists expected.

该团队论述说，在某些情况下，陨石坑比科学家预期的要浅数百米，或深度少数百米。

In addition， only 90 craters were identified on the whole moon.

此外，统统这个词卫星上只发现了90个陨石坑。

"This was very surprising because， based on other moons， we expect to see many more impact craters on the surface，" said University of Hawaii's Lauren Schurmeier， who led the study.

夏威夷大学的劳伦·舒尔迈尔训诫了这项征询，他说：“这相适时东说念主诧异，因为根据其他卫星的情况，咱们正本瞻望会在它名义看到更多的撞击坑。”

She said the research team had also expected to see much deeper craters.

她说，征询小组正本以为这些陨石坑会更深一些。

"We realized something unique to Titan must be making them become shallower and disappear relatively quickly，" she said.

她说：“咱们坚硬到，土卫六的特有之处一定是让这些陨石坑变得更浅，并相对较快地磨灭。”

Computer modeling carried out by the researchers showed how the surface might have changed to remove signs of major impact craters.

征询东说念主员进行的算计机模拟清晰，名义可能发生了变化，以舍弃大型撞击坑的萍踪。

The researchers said one of the most likely causes of such change was that the moon's icy surface is covered with a thick layer of solid water ice， with methane gas trapped inside.

征询东说念主员说，这种变化最有可能的原因之一是卫星的冰面笼罩着一层厚厚的固体水冰，里面困有甲烷气体。

The team said the data examinations suggest Titan has a methane-filled icy crust that is from five to 10 kilometers thick.

该团队说，数据检讨标明，土卫六有一个充满甲烷的冰壳，厚度从5到10公里不等。

The modeling operations run by the scientists produced images that looked similar to crater formations on Titan's surface.

科学家们进行的建模操作产生的图像看起来与土卫六名义的陨石坑造成相同。

Schurmeier said the methane crust， "warms Titan's interior" and can cause surprisingly fast changes to the surface structure.

舒尔迈尔说，甲烷壳“使土卫六里面变暖”，并能以惊东说念主的速率蜕变土卫六的名义结构。

Schurmeier noted， for example， that crater shallowing on Titan is believed to be happening at a rate "that is close to that of fast-moving warm glaciers on Earth." The surface of Titan is estimated to be about minus 179 degrees Celsius.

举例，舒尔迈尔指出，土卫六上的陨石坑变浅的速率被合计是“接近地球上快速迁徙的和煦冰川的速率”。据揣摸，土卫六的名义约为零下179摄氏度。

Because of this extreme cold， liquids on the moon's surface take the form of ice， with methane gas locked inside， the researchers said.

征询东说念主员说，这种极点凉爽让月球名义的液体以冰的体式存在，甲烷气体被锁在里面。

This gas could help warm surface levels beneath， possibly permitting molecules to rise toward the surface.

这种气体不错加热地表以下的结构，或者能让分子高涨到地表。

Schurmeier said studying the thickness of Titan's icy crust is important because it might help explain how the moon's atmosphere began to develop.

舒尔迈尔说，征询土卫六冰壳的厚度很遑急，因为它可能有助于认知这颗卫星的大气是怎样驱动发展的。

The measurements could also provide additional information on Titan's changing climate.

这些测量还不错提供对于土卫六局势变化的更多信息。

"Titan is a natural laboratory to study how the greenhouse gas methane warms and cycles through the atmosphere，" she said.

“土卫六是一个自然的本质室，征询温室气体甲烷怎样升温并在大气中轮回，”她说。

The resulting information， she added， can provide important insights about such processes happening on Earth.

她补充说，由此产生的信息不错为地球上发生的这种历程提供遑急的认识。

NASA's Cassini spacecraft ended it mission in 2017， when it crashed into Saturn's atmosphere.

好意思国国度航空航天局的卡西尼号航天器于2017年坠入土星大气层，阻挡了这项任务。

But the U.S. space agency has plans to send another explorer to Titan in 2028.

但好意思国航天局假想在2028年向土卫六发送另一个探险者。

That mission calls for a spacecraft called Dragonfly to travel to Titan to observe many different areas.

这项任务需要一艘名为“蜻蜓”的寰宇飞船赶赴土卫六不雅测很多不同的区域。

The planned explorer， called a rotorcraft， operates similar to a helicopter.

假想中的探险者被称为旋翼机，其操作格式访佛于直升机。

I'm Bryan Lynn.

我是布莱恩·林恩安捷影音播放器。