Shell thickness variations and the long-wavelength topography of Titan

The long-wavelength topography of Titan has an amplitude larger than that expected from tidal and rotational distortions at its current distance from Saturn. This topography is associated with small gravity anomalies, indicating a high degree of compensation. Both observations can be explained if Titan has a floating, isostatically-compensated ice shell with a spatially-varying thickness. The spatial variations arise because of laterally-variable tidal heating within the ice shell. Models incorporating shell thickness variations result in an improved fit to the observations and a degree-two tidal Love number h_2t consistent with expectations, without requiring Titan to have moved away from Saturn. Our preferred models have a mean shell thickness of ≈100 km in agreement with the observed gravity anomalies, and a heat flux appropriate to a chondritic Titan. Shell thickness variations are eliminated by convection; we therefore conclude that Titan’s ice shell is not convecting at the present day.