The two stellar occultations of November 14, 2003: revealing Titan's stratosphere at sub-km resolution

Details The two stellar occultations of November 14, 2003: revealing Titan's stratosphere at sub-km resolution The two stellar occultations of November 14, 2003: revealing Titan's stratosphere at sub-km resolution

Nov 2004

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2004dps....36.2206s&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #36, #22.06; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 36, p.1119

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

3

Scientific paper

On November 14, 2003, Titan occulted two bright Tycho stars (V= 8.4 and V= 10.3). The first event was observed in the Indian Ocean and southern Africa, while the second one was followed from western Europe, northern and central Americas. Data were gathered by both professional and amateur astronomers, using fixed and portable telescopes at wavelengths ranging from visible to near IR (K band).
Inversion of the light curves provide sub-km resolution density and temperature profiles of Titan's upper stratosphere (altitude range ˜ 250-550 km, pressure ˜ 1-250 μ bar). A well confined inversion layer, with a temperature increase of more than 15 K in about 6 km, is ubiquitous in the data near 510 km altitude (1 μ bar). This global feature is either due to a localized heating source or to dynamical processes yet to be determined.
A central flash is visible in five of the light curves taken from the first event. We model the flash shape and intensity, using ray tracing with a prescribed limb shape (linked to a given zonal wind regime) and opacity. Observations are consistent with a strong jet at northern latitudes ( ˜ 200 m s-1 at latitude 55N), decreasing to ˜ 140m s-1 at equator, and tapering off to zero in the sourthern hemisphere. We do not detect the northern polar hood predicted by some GCM models, up to latitude 67N. Thus, the polar hood is either non-existent, or is present at latitudes north of 67N.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

The two stellar occultations of November 14, 2003: revealing Titan's stratosphere at sub-km resolution does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with The two stellar occultations of November 14, 2003: revealing Titan's stratosphere at sub-km resolution, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The two stellar occultations of November 14, 2003: revealing Titan's stratosphere at sub-km resolution will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1013626