The new analysis showed that in the first ten seconds after the descent to the surface of Titan probe Huygens" jumping, gliding and battered.

The surface of this moon of Saturn, which earthly automation in the first and only time visited in January 2005, was a little more complex than was thought.

Landing of the Huygens" the eyes of the artist (image from NASA / JPL / ESA).

To restore the chain of events managed by studying data sent by a variety of instruments, who worked at the time, and in particular on changes of acceleration. The readings were compared with the results of computer simulation and testing of copies of the probe.

It turned out that at the first contact with Titan, Huygens" formed a dent 12 cm deep, and then jumped back on a flat surface. The device weighing about 200 kg crashed into the ground at a speed, which develops the ball thrown by three meters. Having tilted by about 10 degrees in the direction of motion, the probe passed then 30-40 cm, unless stopped due to friction, and then rolled down five times, each time leaning somewhere on half of the previous corner. Sensors continued to register a small vibration in another two seconds.

Stefan Schroder from the Institute for Solar system research, the max Plank Society (Germany) noted that, swinging the first time, probe, apparently stumbled on a rock towering about an inch above the surrounding space, and, perhaps, slammed it into the ground. This suggests that the area of plantations had the consistency of soft sand, which is consistent with previous studies, but still a little more solid than it was considered.

Co-author Erich Karkoszka from the University of Arizona (USA) prefers to compare the surface of Titan with snow, which the top layer adhering: if you walk carefully, not fail, but it is necessary to lower leg a bit stronger...

If Huygens" flopped into the watery substance, its instruments would register a surge without further slip and disorder. Researchers believe that in this place the soil consists of organic particles, which are known to fall from the atmosphere of Titan. The blow lifted them into the air, where they hung four seconds. And once the dust is so easy flew up, it was dried up: neither methane or ethane rains were not significant time.