Seasonal Changes in Titan's Polar Trace Gas Abundance Observed by Cassini

Details Seasonal Changes in Titan's Polar Trace Gas Abundance Observed by Cassini Seasonal Changes in Titan's Polar Trace Gas Abundance Observed by Cassini

Nov 2010

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010apj...724l..84t&link_type=abstract

The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Volume 724, Issue 1, pp. L84-L89 (2010).

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

1

Planets And Satellites: Atmospheres

Scientific paper

We use a six-year data set (2004-2010) of mid-infrared spectra measured by Cassini's Composite InfraRed Spectrometer to search for seasonal variations in Titan's atmospheric temperature and composition. During most of Cassini's mission Titan's northern hemisphere has been in winter, with an intense stratospheric polar vortex highly enriched in trace gases, and a single south-to-north circulation cell. Following northern spring equinox in mid-2009, dramatic changes in atmospheric temperature and composition were expected, but until now the temporal coverage of polar latitudes has been too sparse to discern trends. Here, we show that during equinox and post-equinox periods, abundances of trace gases at both poles have begun to increase. We propose that increases in north polar trace gases are due to a seasonal reduction in gas depletion by horizontal mixing across the vortex boundary. A simultaneous south polar abundance increase suggests that Titan is now entering, or is about to enter, a transitional circulation regime with two branches, rather than the single branch circulation pattern previously observed.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Seasonal Changes in Titan's Polar Trace Gas Abundance Observed by Cassini 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 Seasonal Changes in Titan's Polar Trace Gas Abundance Observed by Cassini, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Seasonal Changes in Titan's Polar Trace Gas Abundance Observed by Cassini will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1161871