Titan's atmosphere and surface from infrared spectroscopy and imagery

Details Titan's atmosphere and surface from infrared spectroscopy and imagery Titan's atmosphere and surface from infrared spectroscopy and imagery

Jan 1997

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1997abos.conf..227c&link_type=abstract

Conference Paper, Astronomical and Biochemical Origins and the Search for Life in the Universe, IAU Colloquium 161, Publisher: B

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Titan, Satellite Atmospheres, Satellite Surfaces, Infrared Spectroscopy, Methane, Infrared Imagery, Near Infrared Radiation, Albedo, Brightness Distribution

Scientific paper

We have performed observations of Titan in the NIR since 1991, using both spectroscopy and imagery. A higher geometric albedo is observed near the Greatest Eastern Elongation than near the Greatest Western Elongation or Conjunctions. The surface is within reach for telescopes at 1.075, 1.28, 1.6, and 2.0 microns, so we simulated Titan's geometric albedo in order to derive the surface albedo at all longitudes. Titan's leading hemisphere appears brighter than the trailing one by 20-25 percent at 1.08, 1.28, and 1.6 micron, and by 35 percent at 2.0 microns, with spectra compatible with H2O everywhere. We have then simulated the presence of a mountain on Titan covering 50 percent of the leading hemisphere disk, varying its height and introducing a higher surface albedo when required. We find that a relief cannot reproduce the whole geometric albedo differences observed between the two hemispheres. Some other additional component bright at 1.0 and 2.0 microns must then be invoked. Candidates are tholins or CH4, which can exist on the top of a mountain if the temperature is lower than 90 K.

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