Geomorphological analysis of the southwestern margin of Xanadu, Titan:
Insights on tectonics
Abstract
Evidence for tectonic activity on Titan is shown by the presence of
eroded mountain ranges, although it is unclear whether their origin is
endogenic. Xanadu is an equatorial region characterized by an
articulated topography, even though overall it has a lower average
elevation compared to its surroundings. We investigated Xanadu’s
southwestern margin, a part of the region which is comprised of heavily
eroded and rugged terrains to the North and East and of smoother, more
uniform terrains to the West and South. An extensive fluvial network
characterizes its central portions. Through detailed geomorphological
mapping on Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data and analysis of both
fluvial drainage patterns and Digital Terrain Models (DTMs), we
identified several putative tectonic structures in this area. We propose
that central southwestern Xanadu is a pull-apart basin formed by
trans-tensional tectonics, bordered by both normal and thrust faults.
Such basin is characterized by strike-slip faulting within it, on which
a now inactive fluvial network is subsequently imposed.