Racetrack and Bonnie Claire: southwestern US playa lakes as analogs for Ontario Lacus, Titan

Abstract

We note the geomorphological and meteorological processes at Racetrack Playa, Death Valley National Park, as analogs for those at Ontario Lacus on Titan. Although Ontario is ∼50× larger, the planforms of the two features are nearly identical, both are extremely flat, and are in environments where infrequent rainfall occurs against a climate, where evaporation exceeds precipitation. While the famous moving rocks on the Racetrack Playa may be exceptional on the Earth, the lower gravity and thicker atmosphere may render wind-induced rock transport comparatively common on Titan. Nearby Bonnie Claire Playa also provides field insights into the interpretation of remote sensing data from Titan.