Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2008
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008agufm.p32a..07f&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2008, abstract #P32A-07
Physics
5422 Ices, 6020 Ices, 6280 Saturnian Satellites
Scientific paper
The entire population of the Saturnian system ices was investigated by VIMS (Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer) experiment on board Cassini spacecraft. By the end of the nominal mission a very large dataset of hyperspectral data had been collected in the spectral range 0.35-5.0 micron, which includes the regular satellites (Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea, Hyperion, Iapetus, Phoebe), minor moons (Atlas, Prometheus, Pandora, Janus, Epimetheus, Telesto, Calypso) and rings. In this work we present an analysis of spectrophotometric indicators selected to describe the properties of the ices (I/F continuum levels, visible spectral slopes, band depths and positions), and which were retrieved from about 1500 full-disk observations of satellites as well as from mosaics of the main rings (A, B, C, CD, F) sampled with a resolution of 125 km/pixel along the radial axis. This comparative method allows us to highlight the spectral differences in this population of objects orbiting in the Saturnian system. In particular we have retrieved the distribution of the water ice abundance, which varies between the almost pure icy surfaces of Enceladus and Calypso to the carbon dioxide- and organic-rich Hyperion, Iapetus and Phoebe. Noteworthy is that a significant dichotomy is observed between the two co-orbital moons Epimetheus and Janus, possibly indicating a different origin and evolutionary process: while the first shows a very red visible spectrum (similar to Hyperion), the second has more neutral visible colors, making it a very peculiar object in the Saturnian system. Rings have very peculiar spectral differences when compared with the icy satellites: in the visible range their spectra are characterized by a spectral knee at bluer wavelengths (at about 520 nm compared to 550 nm on satellites); in the infrared range the 1.5-2.0 micron water ice band depths are in general deeper across the A and B rings, indicative of a larger fraction of pure water ice in comparison to the CD and C rings. This research was supported by a grant from the Italian Space Agency (ASI).
Brown Harvey R.
Buratti Bonnie Jean
Capaccioni Fabrizio
Cerroni Pricilla
Clark Roger Nelson
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