On Saturn’s largest moon, sand dunes cover about 17 percent of its surface. Researchers have previously suggested that the sand may consist of organic particles that form in Titan’s dense atmosphere and then fall to the surface. Now planetary scientists have put forward another hypothesis as to their origin.

Planetary scientist William Bottke of the Southwest Research Institute in Colorado and his colleagues presented a new hypothesis during the Conference for the Study of the Moon and Planets, suggesting that Titan’s dunes were formed by direct collisions of meteors and comets with the Moon. Saturn.

However, scientists will be able to conclusively confirm the hypothesis of the origin of the dunes only when the Dragonfly mission is launched – its launch is planned for 2028. The unmanned aerial vehicle, equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, will land on Titan’s surface and analyze the composition of the dunes.