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1.
BVI photometry of Triton and Proteus was derived from HST images taken in 1997. The VEGAMAG photometric technique was used. Triton was found to be brighter by a few percent than observations of the 1970's and 1980's, as expected due to the increasingly greater exposure of the bright south polar region. The leading side was also found to be brighter than the trailing side by 0.09 mag in all filters—50% larger than reported by Franz [Franz, O.G., 1981. Icarus 45, 602-606]. Contrary to our previous results [Pascu, D., et al., 1998. Bull. Am. Astron. Soc. 30, 1101], we found no episodic reddening. Our previous conclusions were based on an inaccurate early version of the Charge Transfer Efficiency (CTE) correction. The present result limits the start of the reddening event reported by Hicks and Buratti [Hicks, M.D., Buratti, B.J., 2004. Icarus 171, 210-218]. Our (B-V) result of 0.70±0.01 supports the global blueing described by Buratti et al. [Buratti, B.J., Goguen, J.D., Gibson, J., Mosher, J., 1994. Icarus 110, 303-314]. Our observations of July 1997 agree with the Voyager results and are among the bluest colors seen. We found Proteus somewhat brighter than earlier studies, but in good agreement with the recent value given by Karkoschka [Karkoschka, E., 2003. Icarus 162, 400-407]. A leading/trailing brightness asymmetry was detected for Proteus, with the leading side 0.1 mag brighter. The unique differences in action of the endogenic and exogenic processes on Triton and Proteus provides an opportunity to separate the endogenic and exogenic effects on Triton.  相似文献   

2.
Io’s sublimation-driven atmosphere is modeled using the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method. These rarefied gas dynamics simulations improve upon earlier models by using a three-dimensional domain encompassing the entire planet computed in parallel. The effects of plasma heating, planetary rotation, inhomogeneous surface frost, molecular residence time of SO2 on the exposed (non-volatile) rocky surface, and surface temperature distribution are investigated. Circumplanetary flow is predicted to develop from the warm dayside toward the cooler nightside. Io’s rotation leads to a highly asymmetric frost surface temperature distribution (due to the frost’s high thermal inertia) which results in circumplanetary flow that is not axi-symmetric about the subsolar point. The non-equilibrium thermal structure of the atmosphere, specifically vibrational and rotational temperatures, is also examined. Plasma heating is found to significantly inflate the atmosphere on both the dayside and nightside. The plasma energy flux causes high temperatures at high altitudes but plasma energy depletion through the dense gas column above the warmest frost permits gas temperatures cooler than the surface at low altitudes. A frost map (Douté, S., Schmitt, B., Lopes-Gautier, R., Carlson, R., Soderblom, L., Shirley, J., and the Galileo NIMS Team [2001]. Icarus 149, 107-132) is used to control the sublimated flux of SO2 which can result in inhomogeneous column densities that vary by nearly a factor of four for the same surface temperature. A short residence time for SO2 molecules on the “rock” component is found to smooth lateral atmospheric inhomogeneities caused by variations in the surface frost distribution, creating an atmosphere that looks nearly identical to one with uniform frost coverage. A longer residence time is found to agree better with mid-infrared observations (Spencer, J.R., Lellouch, E., Richter, M.J., López-Valverde, M.A., Jessup, K.L, Greathouse, T.K., Flaud, J. [2005]. Icarus 176, 283-304) and reproduce the observed anti-jovian/sub-jovian column density asymmetry. The computed peak dayside column density for Io assuming a surface frost temperature of 115 K agrees with those suggested by Lyman-α observations (Feaga, L.M., McGrath, M., Feldman, P.D. [2009]. Icarus 201, 570-584). On the other hand, the peak dayside column density at 120 K is a factor of five larger and is higher than the upper range of observations (Jessup, K.L., Spencer, J.R., Ballester, G.E., Howell, R.R., Roesler, F., Vigel, M., Yelle, R. [2004]. Icarus 169, 197-215; Spencer et al., 2005).  相似文献   

3.
The reflectance of Saturn’s moon Enceladus has been measured at far ultraviolet (FUV) wavelengths (115-190 nm) by Cassini’s Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph (UVIS). At visible and near infrared (VNIR) wavelengths Enceladus’ reflectance spectrum is very bright, consistent with a surface composed primarily of H2O ice. At FUV wavelengths, however, Enceladus is surprisingly dark - darker than would be expected for pure water ice. Previous analyses have focused on the VNIR spectrum, comparing it to pure water ice (Cruikshank, D.P., Owen, T.C., Dalle Ore, C., Geballe, T.R., Roush, T.L., de Bergh, C., Sandford, S.A., Poulet, F., Benedix, G.K., Emery, J.P. [2005] Icarus, 175, 268-283) or pure water ice plus a small amount of NH3 (Emery, J.P., Burr, D.M., Cruikshank, D.P., Brown, R.H., Dalton, J.B. [2005] Astron. Astrophys., 435, 353-362) or NH3 hydrate (Verbiscer, A.J., Peterson, D.E., Skrutskie, M.F., Cushing, M., Helfenstein, P., Nelson, M.J., Smith, J.D., Wilson, J.C. [2006] Icarus, 182, 211-223). We compare Enceladus’ FUV spectrum to existing laboratory measurements of the reflectance spectra of candidate species, and to spectral models. We find that the low FUV reflectance of Enceladus can be explained by the presence of a small amount of NH3 and a small amount of a tholin in addition to H2O ice on the surface. The presence of these three species (H2O, NH3, and a tholin) appears to satisfy not only the low FUV reflectance and spectral shape, but also the middle-ultraviolet to visible wavelength brightness and spectral shape. We expect that ammonia in the Enceladus plume is transported across the surface to provide a global coating.  相似文献   

4.
We performed photometry of Cassini Visual Infrared Mapping Spectrometer observations of Iapetus to produce the first phase integrals calculated directly from solar phase curves of Iapetus for the leading hemisphere and to estimate the phase integrals for the trailing hemisphere. We also explored the phase integral dependence on wavelength and geometric albedo. The extreme dichotomy of the brightness of the leading and trailing sides of Iapetus is reflected in their phase integrals. Our phase integrals, which are lower than the results of Morrison et al. (Morrison, D., Jones, T.J., Cruikshank, D.P., Murphy, R.E. [1975]. Icarus 24, 157-171) and Squyres et al. (Squyres, S.W., Buratti, B.J., Veverka, J., Sagan, C. [1984]. Icarus 59, 426-435), have profound implications on the energy balance and volatile transport on this icy satellite.  相似文献   

5.
E. Nogueira  R. Gomes 《Icarus》2011,214(1):113-130
The origin of Neptune’s large, circular but retrograde satellite Triton has remained largely unexplained. There is an apparent consensus that its origin lies in it being captured, but until recently no successful capture mechanism has been found. Agnor and Hamilton (Agnor, C.B., Hamilton, D.P. [2006]. Nature 441, 192-194) demonstrated that the disruption of a trans-neptunian binary object which had Triton as a member, and which underwent a very close encounter with Neptune, was an effective mechanism to capture Triton while its former partner continued on a hyperbolic orbit. The subsequent evolution of Triton’s post-capture orbit to its current one could have proceeded through gravitational tides (Correia, A.C.M. [2009]. Astrophys. J. 704, L1-L4), during which time Triton was most likely semi-molten (McKinnon, W.B. [1984]. Nature 311, 355-358). However, to date, no study has been performed that considered both the capture and the subsequent tidal evolution. Thus it is attempted here with the use of numerical simulations. The study by Agnor and Hamilton (Agnor, C.B., Hamilton, D.P. [2006]. Nature 441, 192-194) is repeated in the framework of the Nice model (Tsiganis, K., Gomes, R., Morbidelli, A., Levison, H.F. [2005]. Nature 435, 459-461) to determine the post-capture orbit of Triton. After capture Triton is then subjected to tidal evolution using the model of Mignard (Mignard, F. [1979]. Moon Planets 20, 301-315; Mignard, F. [1980]. Moon Planets 23, 185-201). The perturbations from the Sun and the figure of Neptune are included. The perturbations from the Sun acting on Triton just after its capture cause it to spend a long time in its high-eccentricity phase, usually of the order of 10 Myr, while the typical time to circularise to its current orbit is some 200 Myr, consistent with earlier studies. The current orbit of Triton is consistent with an origin through binary capture and tidal evolution, even though the model prefers Triton to be closer to Neptune than it is today. The probability of capturing Triton in this manner is approximately 0.7%. Since the capture of Triton was at most a 50% event - since only Neptune has one, but Uranus does not - we deduce that in the primordial trans-neptunian disc there were some 100 binaries with at least one Triton-sized member. Morbidelli et al. (Morbidelli, A., Levison, H.F., Bottke, W.F., Dones, L., Nesvorný, D. [2009]. Icarus 202, 310-315) concludes there were some 1000 Triton-sized bodies in the trans-neptunian proto-planetary disc, so the primordial binary fraction with at least one Triton-sized member is 10%. This value is consistent with theoretical predictions, but at the low end. If Triton was captured at the same time as Neptune’s irregular satellites, the far majority of these, including Nereid, would be lost. This suggests either that Triton was captured on an orbit with a small semi-major axisa ? 50RN (a rare event), or that it was captured before the dynamical instability of the Nice model, or that some other mechanism was at play. The issue of keeping the irregular satellites remains unresolved.  相似文献   

6.
S. Takahashi  H. Misawa  A. Morioka  R. Sood 《Icarus》2005,178(2):346-359
We report on two-dimensional imaging observations of D-line emissions from the extended distribution of iogenic sodium atoms with two fields of view (±20 RJ (narrow FOV) and ±400 RJ (wide FOV)) simultaneously by using a portable small telescope or camera lens. We derived dynamic feature of the band-shaped and spray-shaped distributions near Io's orbit by means of continuous observation. The observations confirm the phenomenological behavior of the sodium cloud on two spatial scales, as previously observed by Pilcher et al. [Pilcher, C.B., Smyth, W.H., Combi, M.R., Fertel, J.H., 1984. Astrophys. J. 287, 427-444], Schneider et al. [Schneider, N.M., Trauger, J.T., Wilson, J.K., Brown, D.I., Evans, R.W., Shemansky, D.E., 1991. Science 253, 1394-1397], and Mendillo et al. [Mendillo, M., Baumgartner, J., Flynn, B., Hughes, W.S., 1990. Nature 348, 312-314]. We also confirm an elongated oval emission distribution of the sodium nebula and derivation of its detailed east-west asymmetry depending on Io's phase angle, which was first noted by Flynn et al. [Flynn, B., Mendillo, M., Baumgartner, J., 1994. J. Geophys. Res. 99, 8403-8409]. We then did model analyses to investigate the source process for sodium atoms and the dynamics behind their distribution. We conclude that the essential of molecular ion mechanisms to the band-shaped distribution is in agreement with Wilson and Schneider [Wilson, J.K., Schneider, N.M., 1999. J. Geophys. Res. 104, 16567-16583]. We differ from Wilson et al. [Wilson, J.K., Mendillo, M., Baumgartner, J., Schneider, N.M., Trauger, J.T., Flynn, B., 2002. Icarus 157, 476-489] in finding that charge exchange process contributes more to the spray-shaped distribution and sodium nebula than sputtering does. These results derived the double-peaked velocity distribution of released sodium atoms, and re-confirmed the source rates in agreement with past studies.  相似文献   

7.
M. Seiß  F. Spahn  Jürgen Schmidt 《Icarus》2010,210(1):298-317
Saturn’s rings host two known moons, Pan and Daphnis, which are massive enough to clear circumferential gaps in the ring around their orbits. Both moons create wake patterns at the gap edges by gravitational deflection of the ring material (Cuzzi, J.N., Scargle, J.D. [1985]. Astrophys. J. 292, 276-290; Showalter, M.R., Cuzzi, J.N., Marouf, E.A., Esposito, L.W. [1986]. Icarus 66, 297-323). New Cassini observations revealed that these wavy edges deviate from the sinusoidal waveform, which one would expect from a theory that assumes a circular orbit of the perturbing moon and neglects particle interactions. Resonant perturbations of the edges by moons outside the ring system, as well as an eccentric orbit of the embedded moon, may partly explain this behavior (Porco, C.C., and 34 colleagues [2005]. Science 307, 1226-1236; Tiscareno, M.S., Burns, J.A., Hedman, M.M., Spitale, J.N., Porco, C.C., Murray, C.D., and the Cassini Imaging team [2005]. Bull. Am. Astron. Soc. 37, 767; Weiss, J.W., Porco, C.C., Tiscareno, M.S., Burns, J.A., Dones, L. [2005]. Bull. Am. Astron. Soc. 37, 767; Weiss, J.W., Porco, C.C., Tiscareno, M.S. [2009]. Astron. J. 138, 272-286). Here we present an extended non-collisional streamline model which accounts for both effects. We describe the resulting variations of the density structure and the modification of the nonlinearity parameter q. Furthermore, an estimate is given for the applicability of the model. We use the streamwire model introduced by Stewart (Stewart, G.R. [1991]. Icarus 94, 436-450) to plot the perturbed ring density at the gap edges.We apply our model to the Keeler gap edges undulated by Daphnis and to a faint ringlet in the Encke gap close to the orbit of Pan. The modulations of the latter ringlet, induced by the perturbations of Pan (Burns, J.A., Hedman, M.M., Tiscareno, M.S., Nicholson, P.D., Streetman, B.J., Colwell, J.E., Showalter, M.R., Murray, C.D., Cuzzi, J.N., Porco, C.C., and the Cassini ISS team [2005]. Bull. Am. Astron. Soc. 37, 766), can be well described by our analytical model. Our analysis yields a Hill radius of Pan of 17.5 km, which is 9% smaller than the value presented by Porco (Porco, C.C., and 34 colleagues [2005]. Science 307, 1226-1236), but fits well to the radial semi-axis of Pan of 17.4 km. This supports the idea that Pan has filled its Hill sphere with accreted material (Porco, C.C., Thomas, P.C., Weiss, J.W., Richardson, D.C. [2007]. Science 318, 1602-1607). A numerical solution of a streamline is used to estimate the parameters of the Daphnis-Keeler gap system, since the close proximity of the gap edge to the moon induces strong perturbations, not allowing an application of the analytic streamline model. We obtain a Hill radius of 5.1 km for Daphnis, an inner edge variation of 8 km, and an eccentricity for Daphnis of 1.5 × 10−5. The latter two quantities deviate by a factor of two from values gained by direct observations (Jacobson, R.A., Spitale, J., Porco, C.C., Beurle, K., Cooper, N.J., Evans, M.W., Murray, C.D. [2008]. Astron. J. 135, 261-263; Tiscareno, M.S., Burns, J.A., Hedman, M.M., Spitale, J.N., Porco, C.C., Murray, C.D., and the Cassini Imaging team [2005]. Bull. Am. Astron. Soc. 37, 767), which might be attributed to the neglect of particle interactions and vertical motion in our model.  相似文献   

8.
We apply a multivariate statistical method to the Phoebe spectra collected by the VIMS experiment onboard the Cassini spacecraft during the flyby of June 2004. The G-mode clustering method, which permits identification of the most important features in a spectrum, is used on a small subset of data, characterized by medium and high spatial resolution, to perform a raw spectral classification of the surface of Phoebe. The combination of statistics and comparative analysis of the different areas using both the VIMS and ISS data is explored in order to highlight possible correlations with the surface geology. In general, the results by Clark et al. [Clark, R.N., Brown, R.H., Jaumann, R., Cruikshank, D.P., Nelson, R.M., Buratti, B.J., McCord, T.B., Lunine, J., Hoefen, T., Curchin, J.M., Hansen, G., Hibbitts, K., Matz, K.-D., Baines, K.H., Bellucci, G., Bibring, J.-P., Capaccioni, F., Cerroni, P., Coradini, A., Formisano, V., Langevin, Y., Matson, D.L., Mennella, V., Nicholson, P.D., Sicardy, B., Sotin, C., 2005. Nature 435, 66-69] are confirmed; but we also identify new signatures not reported before, such as the aliphatic CH stretch at 3.53 μm and the ∼4.4 μm feature possibly related to cyanide compounds. On the basis of the band strengths computed for several absorption features and for the homogeneous spectral types isolated by the G-mode, a strong correlation of CO2 and aromatic hydrocarbons with exposed water ice, where the uniform layer covering Phoebe has been removed, is established. On the other hand, an anti-correlation of cyanide compounds with CO2 is suggested at a medium resolution scale.  相似文献   

9.
We present values from the Cassini Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) of four fundamental disk-integrated spectrophotometric properties (bolometric Bond albedo, solar phase curve, phase integral, and geometric albedo at 7-15 different wavelengths in the λ = 0.35-5.1 μm range) for five mid-sized saturnian icy satellites: Rhea, Dione, Tethys, Mimas, and Enceladus. These values, which include data from the period 2004-2008 and add to past VIMS phase curves, include opposition surge effects at down to fractions of a degree in solar phase angle for several moons and extend to over double the solar phase angle coverage of the Voyager mission. We also present new rotational light curves for Rhea and Dione at 7 near-infrared bands not previously available in ground-based or spacecraft studies. The bolometric Bond albedos we derive are as follows: 0.48 ± 0.09 (Rhea), 0.52 ± 0.08 (Dione), 0.61 ± 0.09 (Tethys), 0.67 ± 0.10 (Mimas), and 0.85 ± 0.11 (Enceladus). We also provide breakdowns of the major photometric quantities in both leading and trailing hemispheres. These refined parameters can be used to construct future bolometric Bond albedo maps that will contribute to surface composition identification studies, as well as models of volatile transport and sublimation. Through such applications, these data will help to determine the physical properties of surface particles, how the E-ring affects the inner saturnian moons, what is responsible for the dark albedo patterns seen on Tethys, and if these moons (e.g., Dione) are geologically active.  相似文献   

10.
Carlos E. Chavez 《Icarus》2009,203(1):233-237
In this article we explore the aspect of the F ring with respect to the anti-alignment configuration between the ring and Prometheus. We focus our attention on the shape of the F ring’s azimuthal channels which were first reported by Porco et al. (Porco, C.C., Baker, E., Barbara, J., Beurle, K., Brahic, A., Burns, J.A., Charnoz, S., Cooper, N., Dawson, D.D., Del Genio, A.D., Denk, T., Dones, L., Dyudina, U., Evans, M.W., Giese, B., Grazier, K., Helfenstein, P., Ingersoll, A.P., Jacobson, R.A., Johnson, T.V., McEwen, A., Murray, C.D., Neukum, G., Owen, W.M., Perry, J., Roatsch, T., Spitale, J., Squyres, S., Thomas, P., Tiscareno, M., Turtle, E., Vasavada, A.R., Veverka, J., Wagner, R., West, R. [2005] Science, 307, 1226-1236) and numerically explored by Murray et al. (Murray, C.D., Chavez, C., Beurle, K., Cooper, N., Evans, M.W., Burns, J.A., Porco, C.C. [2005] Nature 437, 1326-1329) who found excellent agreement between Cassini’s ISS reprojected images and their numerical model via a direct comparison. We find that for anti-alignment the channels are wider and go deeper inside the ring material. From our numerical model we find a new feature, an island in the middle of the channel. This island is made up of the particles that have been perturbed the most by Prometheus and only appears when this satellite is close to apoapsis. In addition, plots of the anti-alignment configuration for different orbital stages of Prometheus are obtained and discussed here.  相似文献   

11.
Cassini Visual Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) observations of Mimas, Tethys, and Dione obtained during the nominal and extended missions at large solar phase angles were analyzed to search for plume activity. No forward scattered peaks in the solar phase curves of these satellites were detected. The upper limit on water vapor production for Mimas and Tethys is one order of magnitude less than the production for Enceladus. For Dione, the upper limit is two orders of magnitude less, suggesting this world is as inert as Rhea (Pitman, K.M., Buratti, B.J., Mosher, J.A., Bauer, J.M., Momary, T., Brown, R.H., Nicholson, P.D., Hedman, M.M. [2008]. Astrophys. J. Lett. 680, L65-L68). Although the plumes are best seen at ∼2.0 μm, Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS) Narrow Angle Camera images obtained at the same time as the VIMS data were also inspected for these features. None of the Cassini ISS images shows evidence for plumes. The absence of evidence for any Enceladus-like plumes on the medium-sized saturnian satellites cannot absolutely rule out current geologic activity. The activity may below our threshold of detection, or it may be occurring but not captured on the handful of observations at large solar phase angles obtained for each moon. Many VIMS and ISS images of Enceladus at large solar phase angles, for example, do not contain plumes, as the active “tiger stripes” in the south pole region are pointed away from the spacecraft at these times. The 7-year Cassini Solstice Mission is scheduled to gather additional measurements at large solar phase angles that are capable of revealing activity on the saturnian moons.  相似文献   

12.
The roughness of a planetary surface offers clues to its past geologic history. We apply a surface roughness model developed by Buratti and Veverka (Buratti, B.J., Veverka, J. [1985]. Icarus 64, 320-328) to Cassini ISS data from the January 1st, 2005 flyby of Iapetus. This model uses the observed scattering behavior to provide a depth to radius factor q quantifying the size of idealized craters on the surface. Our findings indicate that the surface on the dark side is significantly smoother than the surfaces of other icy low-albedo saturnian satellites. We have found that the average depth to radius on the leading (dark) side is 0.084, corresponding to a Hapke mean slope angle of 6°. As compared to the 13-33° Hapke mean slope angle of other icy satellites (Buratti, B.J., and 10 colleagues [2008]. Icarus 193, 309-322), our results present a clearly different picture for the leading surface of Iapetus, suggesting that the dark deposit contributes to the decrease in macroscopic surface roughness of the leading side. Attempts were made to obtain an average depth to radius value for the trailing (bright) side; however the scans of the bright side from this flyby exhibited large variations in albedo, resulting in results that were physically unrealistic.  相似文献   

13.
We have compiled a global geological map of Ganymede that represents the most recent understanding of the satellite based on Galileo mission results. This contribution builds on important previous accomplishments in the study of Ganymede utilizing Voyager data and incorporates the many new discoveries that were brought about by examination of Galileo data. We discuss the material properties of geological units defined utilizing a global mosaic of the surface with a nominal resolution of 1 km/pixel assembled by the USGS with the best available Voyager and Galileo regional coverage and high resolution imagery (100-200 m/pixel) of characteristic features and terrain types obtained by the Galileo spacecraft. We also use crater density measurements obtained from our mapping efforts to examine age relationships amongst the various defined units. These efforts have resulted in a more complete understanding of the major geological processes operating on Ganymede, especially the roles of cryovolcanic and tectonic processes in the formation of might materials. They have also clarified the characteristics of the geological units that comprise the satellite’s surface, the stratigraphic relationships of those geological units and structures, and the geological history inferred from those relationships. For instance, the characteristics and stratigraphic relationships of dark lineated material and reticulate material suggest they represent an intermediate stage between dark cratered material and light material units.  相似文献   

14.
We present here a search for solid ethane, C2H6, on the surfaces of Pluto and Triton, based on near-infrared spectral observations in the H and K bands (1.4-2.45 μm) using the Very Large Telescope (VLT) and the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope (UKIRT). We model each surface using a radiative transfer model based on Hapke theory (Hapke, B. [1993]. Theory of Reflectance and Emittance Spectroscopy. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK) with three basic models: without ethane, with pure ethane, and with ethane diluted in nitrogen. On Pluto we detect weak features near 2.27, 2.405, 2.457, and 2.461 μm that match the strongest features of pure ethane. An additional feature seen at 2.317 μm is shifted to longer wavelengths than ethane by at least 0.002 μm. The strength of the features seen in the models suggests that pure ethane is limited to no more than a few percent of the surface of Pluto. On Triton, features in the H band could potentially be explained by ethane diluted in N2, however, the lack of corresponding features in the K band makes this unlikely (also noted by Quirico et al. (Quirico, E., Doute, S., Schmitt, B., de Bergh, C., Cruikshank, D.P., Owen, T.C., Geballe, T.R., Roush, T.L. [1999]. Icarus 139, 159-178)). While Cruikshank et al. (Cruikshank, D.P., Mason, R.E., Dalle Ore, C.M., Bernstein, M.P., Quirico, E., Mastrapa, R.M., Emery, J.P., Owen, T.C. [2006]. Bull. Am. Astron. Soc. 38, 518) find that the 2.406-μm feature on Triton could not be completely due to 13CO, our models show that it could not be accounted for entirely by ethane either. The multiple origin of this feature complicates constraints on the contribution of ethane for both bodies.  相似文献   

15.
16.
We vapor deposit at 20 K a mixture of gases with the specific Enceladus plume composition measured in situ by the Cassini INMS [Waite, J.H., Combi, M.R., Ip, W.H., Cravens, T.E., McNutt, R.L., Kasprzak, W., Yelle, R., Luhmann, J., Niemann, H., Gell, D., Magee, B., Fletcher, G., Lunine, J., Tseng, W.L., 2006. Science 311, 1419-1422] to form a mixed molecular ice. As the sample is slowly warmed, we monitor the escaping gas quantity and composition with a mass spectrometer. Pioneering studies [Schmitt, B., Klinger, J., 1987. Different trapping mechanisms of gases by water ice and their relevance for comet nuclei. In: Rolfe, E.J., Battrick, B. (Eds.), Diversity and Similarity of Comets. SP-278. ESA, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, pp. 613-619; Bar-Nun, A., Kleinfeld, I., Kochavi, E., 1988. Phys. Rev. B 38, 7749-7754; Bar-Nun, A., Kleinfeld, I., 1989. Icarus 80, 243-253] have shown that significant quantities of volatile gases can be trapped in a water ice matrix well above the temperature at which the pure volatile ice would sublime. For our Enceladus ice mixture, a composition of escaping gases similar to that detected by Cassini in the Enceladus plume can be generated by the sublimation of the H2O:CO2:CH4:N2 mixture at temperatures between 135 and 155 K, comparable to the high temperatures inferred from the CIRS measurements [Spencer, J.R., Pearl, J.C., Segura, M., Flasar, F.M., Mamoutkine, A., Romani, P., Buratti, B.J., Hendrix, A.R., Spilker, L.J., Lopes, R.M.C., 2006. Science 311, 1401-1405] of the Enceladus “tiger stripes.” This suggests that the gas escape phenomena that we measure in our experiments are an important process contributing to the gases emitted from Enceladus. A similar experiment for ice deposited at 70 K shows that both the processes of volatile trapping and release are temperature dependent over the temperature range relevant to Enceladus.  相似文献   

17.
The near-infrared spectrum of Titan, Saturn's largest moon and one of the Cassini/Huygens' space mission primary targets, covers the 0.8 to 5 micron region in which it shows several weak CH4 absorption regions, and in particular one centered near 2.75 micron. Due to the interference of telluric absorption, only part of this window region (2.9-3.1 μm) has previously been observed from the ground [Noll, K.S., Geballe, T.R., Knacke, R., Pendleton, F., Yvonne, J., 1996. Icarus 124, 625-631; Griffith, C.A., Owen, T., Miller, G.A., Geballe, T., 1998. Nature 395, 575-578; Griffith, C.A., Owen, T., Geballe, T.R., Rayner, J., Rannou, P., 2003. Science 300, 628-630; Geballe, T.R., Kim, S.J., Noll, K.S., Griffith, C.A., 2003. Astrophys. J. 583, L39-L42]. We report here on the first spectroscopic observations of Titan covering the whole 2.4-4.9 μm region by two instruments on board the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) in 1997. These observations show the 2.75-μm window in its complete extent for the first time. In this study we have also used a high-resolution Titan spectrum in the 2.9-3.6 μm region taken with the Keck [Geballe, T.R., Kim, S.J., Noll, K.S., Griffith, C.A., 2003. Astrophys. J. 583, L39-L42; Kim, S.J., Geballe, T.R., Noll, K.S., Courtin, R., 2005. Icarus 173, 522-532] to infer information on the atmospheric parameters (haze extinction, single scattering albedo, methane abundance, etc.) by fitting the methane bands with a detailed microphysical model of Titan's atmosphere (updated from Rannou, P., McKay, C.P., Lorenz, R.D., 2003. Planet. Space Sci. 51, 963-976). We have included in this study an updated version of a database for the CH4 absorption coefficients [STDS, Wenger, Ch., Champion, J.-P., 1998. J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transfer 59, 471-480. See also http://www.u-bourgogne.fr/LPUB/TSM/sTDS.html for latest updates; Boudon, V., Champion, J.-P., Gabard, T., Loëte, M., Michelot, F., Pierre, G., Rotger, M., Wenger, Ch., Rey, M., 2004. J. Mol. Spectrosc. 228, 620-634]. For the atmosphere we find that (a) the haze extinction profile that best matches the data is one with higher (by 40%) extinction in the atmosphere with respect to Rannou et al. (2003) down to about 30 km where a complete cut-off occurs; (b) the methane mixing ratio at Titan's surface cannot exceed 3% on a disk-average basis, yielding a maximum CH4 column abundance of 2.27 km-am in Titan's atmosphere. From the derived surface albedo spectrum in the 2.7-3.08 micron region, we bring some constraints on Titan's surface composition. The albedo in the center of the methane window varies from 0.01 to 0.08. These values, compared to others reported in the other methane windows, show a strong compatibility with the water ice spectrum in the near-infrared. Without confirming its existence from this work alone, our data then appear to be compatible with water ice. A variety of other ices, such as CO2, NH3, tholin material or hydrocarbon liquid cannot be excluded from our data, but an additional unidentified component with a signature around 2.74 micron is required to satisfy the data.  相似文献   

18.
We present results from the two radio occultations of the Cassini spacecraft by Titan in 2006, which probed mid-southern latitudes. Three of the ingress and egress soundings occurred within a narrow latitude range, 31-34°S near the surface, and the fourth at 52.8°S. Temperature-altitude profiles for all four occultation soundings are presented, and compared with the results of the Voyager 1 radio occultation (Lindal, G.F., Wood, G.E., Hotz, H.B., Sweetnam, D.N., Eshleman, V.R., Tyler, G.L. [1983]. Icarus 53, 348-363), the HASI instrument on the Huygens descent probe (Fulchignoni, M. et al. [2005]. Nature 438, 785-791), and Cassini CIRS results (Flasar, F.M. et al. [2005]. Science 308, 975-978; Achterberg, R.K., Conrath, B.J., Gierasch, P.J., Flasar, F.M., Nixon, C.A. [2008b]. Icarus 194, 263-277). Sources of error in the retrieved temperature-altitude profiles are also discussed, and a major contribution is from spacecraft velocity errors in the reconstructed ephemeris. These can be reduced by using CIRS data at 300 km to make along-track adjustments of the spacecraft timing. The occultation soundings indicate that the temperatures just above the surface at 31-34°S are about 93 K, while that at 53°S is about 1 K colder. At the tropopause, the temperatures at the lower latitudes are all about 70 K, while the 53°S profile is again 1 K colder. The temperature lapse rate in the lowest 2 km for the two ingress (dawn) profiles at 31 and 33°S lie along a dry adiabat except within ∼200 m of the surface, where a small stable inversion occurs. This could be explained by turbulent mixing with low viscosity near the surface. The egress profile near 34°S shows a more complex structure in the lowest 2 km, while the egress profile at 53°S is more stable.  相似文献   

19.
The formation of organic compounds in the atmosphere of Titan is an ongoing process of the generation of complex organics from the simplest hydrocarbon, methane. Solar radiation and magnetosphere electrons are the main energy sources that drive the reactions in Titan's atmosphere. Since energy from solar radiation is 200 times greater than that from magnetosphere electrons, we have investigated the products formed by the action of UV radiation (185 and 254 nm) on a mixture of gases containing nitrogen, methane, hydrogen, acetylene, ethylene, and cyanoacetylene, the basic gas mixture (BGM) that simulates aspects of Titan's atmosphere using a flow reactor [Tran, B.N., Ferris, J.P., Chera, J.J., 2003a. Icarus 162, 114-124; Tran, B.N., Joseph, J.C., Force, M., Briggs, R.G., Vuitton, V., Ferris, J.P., 2005. Icarus 177, 106-115]. The present research extends these studies by the addition of carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide to the BGM. Quantum yields for the loss of reactants and the formation of volatile products were determined and compared with those measured in the absence of the hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide. The GCMS analyses of the volatile photolysis products from the BGM, with added hydrogen cyanide, had a composition similar to that of the BGM while the photolysis products of the BGM with added carbon monoxide contained many oxygenated compounds. The infrared spectrum of the corresponding solid product revealed the absorption band of a ketone group, which was probably formed from the reaction of carbon monoxide with the free radicals generated by photolysis of acetylene and ethylene. Of particular interest was the observation that the addition of HCN to the gas mixture only resulted in a very small change in the C/N ratio and in the intensity of the CN frequency at 2210 cm−1 in the infrared spectrum suggesting that little HCN is incorporated into the haze analog. The C/N ratio of the haze analogs was found to be in the 10-12 range. The UV spectra of the solid products formed when HCN or CO added to the BGM is similar to the UV absorption formed from the BGM alone. This result is consistent with absence of additional UV chromophores to the solid product when these mixtures are photolyzed. The following photoproducts, which were not starting materials in our photochemical studies, have been observed on Titan: acetonitrile, benzene, diacetylene, ethane, propene, propane, and propyne.  相似文献   

20.
The Huygens Probe detected dendritic drainage-like features, methane clouds and a high surface relative humidity (∼50%) on Titan in the vicinity of its landing site [Tomasko, M.G., and 39 colleagues, 2005. Nature 438, 765-778; Niemann, H.B., and 17 colleagues, 2005. Nature 438, 779-784], suggesting sources of methane that replenish this gas against photo- and charged-particle chemical loss on short (10-100) million year timescales [Atreya, S.K., Adams, E.Y., Niemann, H.B., Demick-Montelara, J.E., Owen, T.C., Fulchignoni, M., Ferri, F., Wilson, E.H., 2006. Planet. Space Sci. In press]. On the other hand, Cassini Orbiter remote sensing shows dry and even desert-like landscapes with dunes [Lorenz, R.D., and 39 colleagues, 2006a. Science 312, 724-727], some areas worked by fluvial erosion, but no large-scale bodies of liquid [Elachi, C., and 34 colleagues, 2005. Science 308, 970-974]. Either the atmospheric methane relative humidity is declining in a steady fashion over time, or the sources that maintain the relative humidity are geographically restricted, small, or hidden within the crust itself. In this paper we explore the hypothesis that the present-day methane relative humidity is maintained entirely by lakes that cover a small part of the surface area of Titan. We calculate the required minimum surface area coverage of such lakes, assess the stabilizing influence of ethane, and the implications for moist convection in the atmosphere. We show that, under Titan's surface conditions, methane evaporates rapidly enough that shorelines of any existing lakes could potentially migrate by several hundred m to tens of km per year, rates that could be detected by the Cassini orbiter. We furthermore show that the high relative humidity of methane in Titan's lower atmosphere could be maintained by evaporation from lakes covering only 0.002-0.02 of the whole surface.  相似文献   

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