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1.
The origin of Titan’s atmospheric methane is a key issue for understanding the origin of the saturnian satellite system. It has been proposed that serpentinization reactions in Titan’s interior could lead to the formation of the observed methane. Meanwhile, alternative scenarios suggest that methane was incorporated in Titan’s planetesimals before its formation. Here, we point out that serpentinization reactions in Titan’s interior are not able to reproduce the deuterium over hydrogen (D/H) ratio observed at present in methane in its atmosphere, and would require a maximum D/H ratio in Titan’s water ice 30% lower than the value likely acquired by the satellite during its formation, based on Cassini observations at Enceladus. Alternatively, production of methane in Titan’s interior via radiolytic reactions with water can be envisaged but the associated production rates remain uncertain. On the other hand, a mechanism that easily explains the presence of large amounts of methane trapped in Titan in a way consistent with its measured atmospheric D/H ratio is its direct capture in the satellite’s planetesimals at the time of their formation in the solar nebula. In this case, the mass of methane trapped in Titan’s interior can be up to ∼1300 times the current mass of atmospheric methane.  相似文献   

2.
Methane is, together with N2, the main precursor of Titan’s atmospheric chemistry. In our laboratory, we are currently developing a program of laboratory simulations of Titan’s atmosphere, where methane is intended to be dissociated by multiphotonic photolysis at 248 nm. A preliminary study has shown that multiphotonic absorption of methane at 248 nm is efficient and leads to the production of hydrocarbons such as C2H2 (Romanzin et al., 2008). Yet, at this wavelength, little is known about the branching ratios of the hydrocarbon radicals (CH3, CH2 and CH) and their following photochemistry. This paper thus aims at investigating methane photochemistry at 248 nm by comparing the chemical evolution observed after irradiation of CH4 at 248 and at 121.6 nm (Ly-α). It is indeed important to see if the chemistry is driven the same way at both wavelengths in particular because, on Titan, methane photolysis mainly involves Ly-α photons. An approach combining experiments and theoretical analysis by means of a specifically adapted 0-D model has thus been developed and is presented in this paper. The results obtained clearly indicate that the chemistry is different depending on the wavelength. They also suggest that at 248 nm, methane dissociation is in competition with ionisation, which could occur through a three-photon absorption process. As a consequence, 248 nm photolysis appears to be unsuitable to study methane neutral photochemistry alone. The implications of this result on our laboratory simulation program and new experimental developments are discussed. Additional information on methane photochemistry at 121.6 nm are also obtained.  相似文献   

3.
Here we present the first quantitative study of the gas to solid particle conversion in a Radio Frequency dusty plasma experiment simulating the complex atmospheric reactivity on Titan.Analogs of Titan’s aerosols have been produced in different N2-CH4 gas mixtures. Using in situ mass spectrometry, it has been found that, by varying the initial methane concentration, aerosols could be produced in methane steady state concentrations similar to Titan’s atmospheric conditions. In our experiment, an initial ∼5% methane concentration is necessary to ensure a ∼1.5% methane steady state concentration in the plasma.The tholin mass production rate has been quantified as a function of the initial methane concentration. A maximum was found for a steady state CH4 concentration in agreement with Titan’s atmospheric CH4 concentrations. At this maximum, the tholin C/N ratio is about 1.45 and the carbon gas to solid conversion yield is about 35%.We have modeled the mass production rate by a parabolic function, highlighting two competitive chemical regimes controlling the tholin production efficiency: an efficient growth process which is proportional to the methane consumption, and an inhibiting process which opposes the growth process and dominates it for initial methane concentrations higher than ∼5%. To explain these two opposite effects, we propose two mechanisms: one involving HCN patterns in the tholins for the growth process, and one involving the increasing amount of atomic hydrogen in the plasma as well as the increase in aliphatic contributions in the tholins for the inhibiting process. This study highlights new routes for understanding the chemical growth of the organic aerosols in Titan’s atmosphere.  相似文献   

4.
In the lower troposphere of the Titan the temperature is about 90 K, therefore the chemical production of compounds in the CH4/N2 atmosphere is extremely slow. However, atmospheric electricity could provide conditions at which chemical reactions are fast. This paper is based on the assumption that there are lightning discharges in the Titan’s lower atmosphere. The temporal temperature profile of a gas parcel after lightning was calculated at the conditions of 10 km above the Titan’s surface. Using this temperature profile, composition of the after-lightning atmosphere was simulated using a detailed chemical kinetic mechanism consisting of 1829 reactions of 185 species. The main reaction paths leading to the products were investigated. The main products of lighting discharges in the Titan’s atmosphere are H2, HCN, C2N2, C2H2, C2H4, C2H6, NH3 and H2CN. The annual production of these compounds was estimated in the Titan’s atmosphere.  相似文献   

5.
After molecular nitrogen, methane is the most abundant species in Titan’s atmosphere and plays a major role in its energy budget and its chemistry. Methane has strong bands at 3.3 μm emitting mainly at daytime after absorption of solar radiation. This emission is strongly affected by non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) in Titan’s upper atmosphere and, hence, an accurate modeling of the non-LTE populations of the emitting vibrational levels is necessary for its analysis. We present a sophisticated and extensive non-LTE model which considers 22 CH4 levels and takes into account all known excitation mechanisms in which they take part. Solar absorption is the major excitation process controlling the population of the v3-quanta levels above 1000 km whereas the distribution of the vibrational energy within levels of similar energy through collisions with N2 is also of importance below that altitude. CH4-CH4 vibrational exchange of v4-quanta affects their population below 500 km. We found that the ν3 → ground band dominates Titan’s 3.3 μm daytime limb radiance above 750 km whereas the ν3 + ν4 → ν4 band does below that altitude and down to 300 km. The ν3 + ν2 → ν2, the 2ν3 → ν3, and the 13CH4ν3 → ground bands each contribute from 5% to 8% at regions below 800 km. The ν3 + 2ν4 → 2ν4and ν2 + ν3 + ν4 → ν2 + ν4 bands each contribute from 2% to 5% below 650 km. Contributions from other CH4 bands are negligible. We have used the non-LTE model to retrieve the CH4 abundance from 500 to 1100 km in the southern hemisphere from Cassini-VIMS daytime measurements near 3.3 μm. Our retrievals show good agreement with previous measurements and model results, supporting a weak deviation from well mixed values from the lower atmosphere up to 1000 km.  相似文献   

6.
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7.
Darrell F. Strobel 《Icarus》2010,208(2):878-886
The third most abundant species in Titan’s atmosphere is molecular hydrogen with a tropospheric/lower stratospheric mole fraction of 0.001 derived from Voyager and Cassini infrared measurements. The globally averaged thermospheric H2 mole fraction profile from the Cassini Ion Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS) measurements implies a small positive gradient in the H2 mixing ratio from the tropopause region to the lower thermosphere (∼950-1000 km), which drives a downward H2 flux into Titan’s surface comparable to the H2 escape flux out of the atmosphere (∼2 × 1010 cm−2 s−1 referenced to the surface) and requires larger photochemical production rates of H2 than obtained by previous photochemical models. From detailed model calculations based on known photochemistry with eddy, molecular, and thermal diffusion, the tropospheric and thermospheric H2 mole fractions are incompatible by a factor of ∼2. The measurements imply that the downward H2 surface flux is in substantial excess of the speculative threshold value for methanogenic life consumption of H2 (McKay, C.P., Smith, H.D. [2005], Icarus 178, 274-276. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2005.05.018), but without the extreme reduction in the surface H2 mixing ratio.  相似文献   

8.
Using spectra taken with NIRSPEC (Near Infrared Spectrometer) and adaptive optics on the Keck II telescope, we resolved the latitudinal variation of the 3ν2 band of CH3D at 1.56 μm. As CH3D is less abundant than CH4 by a factor of 50±10×10-5, these CH3D lines do not saturate in Titan’s atmosphere, and are well characterized by laboratory measurements. Thus they do not suffer from the large uncertainties of the CH4 lines that are weak enough to be unsaturated in Titan. Our measurements of the methane abundance are confined to the latitude range of 32°S-18°N and longitudes sampled by a 0.04″ slit centered at ∼195°W. The methane abundance below 10 km is constant to within 20% in the tropical atmosphere sampled by our observations, consistent with the low surface insolation and lack of surface methane [Griffith, C.A., McKay, C.P., Ferri, F., 2008. Astrophys. J. 687, L41-L44].  相似文献   

9.
Chia C. Wang  Ruth Signorell 《Icarus》2010,206(2):787-264
Layered methane clouds in Titan’s troposphere with an upper methane ice cloud, a lower liquid methane-nitrogen cloud, and a gap in between were suggested from in situ measurements and ground-based observations. Here we report laboratory investigations under conditions that mimic Titan’s troposphere providing a detailed picture of the cloud layers. A solid methane cloud with a nitrogen content of less than 14% and a liquid methane-nitrogen cloud with a nitrogen content of ∼30% form above ∼19 km and below ∼16 km altitude, respectively. Contrary to previous assertions, long-lived supercooled liquid methane-nitrogen droplets can be sustained in the region in between. The results demonstrate that a cloud gap could only form in the presence of high amounts of other traces species (ethane nuclei, tholin particles, etc.).  相似文献   

10.
An investigation of the capabilities and science goals of a submillimeter-wave heterodyne sounder onboard a Titan orbiter is presented. Based on a model of Titan’s submillimeter spectrum, and including realistic instrumental performances, we show that passive limb observations of Titan’s submillimeter radiation would bring novel and unique information on the dynamical and chemical state of Titan’s atmosphere, particularly in the so far poorly probed 500-900 km region. The 300-360, 540-660 and 1080-1280 GHz spectral ranges appear especially promising, and could be explored with an instrument equipped with a tunable local oscillator system. Vertical temperature profiles can be determined up to ∼1200 km using rotational lines of CH4, CO, and HCN. Winds can be measured over the 200-1200 km altitude range with an accuracy of 3-5 m/s from Doppler shift measurements of any strong optically thin line. Numerous molecular species are accessible, including H2O, NH3, CH3C2H, CH2NH, and several nitriles (HC3N, HC5N, CH3CN, and C2H3CN). Many of them are expected to be detectable in a large fraction of the atmosphere and in some cases at all levels, providing an observational link between stratospheric and thermospheric chemistry. Isotopic variants of some of these species can also be measured, providing new measurements of H, C, N, and O isotopic ratios. Mapping of the thermal, wind, and composition fields, best achieved from a polar orbit and with an articulated antenna, would provide a new view of the couplings between chemistry and dynamics over an extended altitude range of Titan’s atmosphere. Additional science goals at Saturn and Enceladus are briefly discussed.  相似文献   

11.
We have conducted high-pressure experiments in the H2O-CH4 and H2O-CH4-NH3 systems in order to investigate the stability of methane clathrate hydrates, with an optical sapphire-anvil cell coupled to a Raman spectrometer for sample characterization. The results obtained confirm that three factors determine the stability of methane clathrate hydrates: (1) the bulk methane content of the samples; (2) the presence of additional gas compounds such as nitrogen; (3) the concentration of ammonia in the aqueous solution. We show that ammonia has a strong effect on the stability of methane clathrates. For example, a 10 wt.% NH3 solution decreases the dissociation temperature of methane clathrates by 14-25 K at pressures above 5 MPa. Then, we apply these new results to Titan’s conditions. Dissociation of methane clathrate hydrates and subsequent outgassing can only occur in Titan’s icy crust, in presence of locally large amounts of ammonia and in a warm context. We propose a model of cryomagma chamber within the crust that provides the required conditions for methane outgassing: emplacement of an ice plume triggers the melting (if solid) or heating (if liquid) of large ammonia-water pockets trapped at shallow depth, and the generated cryomagmas dissociate surrounding methane clathrate hydrates. We show that this model may allow for the outgassing of significant amounts of methane, which would be sufficient to maintain the presence of methane in Titan’s atmosphere for several tens of thousands of years after a large cryovolcanic event.  相似文献   

12.
P. Hedelt  Y. Ito  L. Esposito 《Icarus》2010,210(1):424-435
Based on measurements performed by the Hydrogen Deuterium Absorption Cell (HDAC) aboard the Cassini orbiter, Titan’s atomic hydrogen exosphere is investigated. Data obtained during the T9 encounter are used to infer the distribution of atomic hydrogen throughout Titan’s exosphere, as well as the exospheric temperature.The measurements performed during the flyby are modeled by performing Monte Carlo radiative transfer calculations of solar Lyman-α radiation, which is resonantly scattered on atomic hydrogen in Titan’s exosphere. Two different atomic hydrogen distribution models are applied to determine the best fitting density profile. One model is a static model that uses the Chamberlain formalism to calculate the distribution of atomic hydrogen throughout the exosphere, whereas the second model is a Particle model, which can also be applied to non-Maxwellian velocity distributions.The density distributions provided by both models are able to fit the measurements although both models differ at the exobase: best fitting exobase atomic hydrogen densities of nH = (1.5 ± 0.5) × 104 cm−3 and nH = (7 ± 1) × 104 cm−3 were found using the density distribution provided by both models, respectively. This is based on the fact that during the encounter, HDAC was sensitive to altitudes above about 3000 km, hence well above the exobase at about 1500 km. Above 3000 km, both models produce densities which are comparable, when taking into account the measurement uncertainty.The inferred exobase density using the Chamberlain profile is a factor of about 2.6 lower than the density obtained from Voyager 1 measurements and much lower than the values inferred from current photochemical models. However, when taking into account the higher solar activity during the Voyager flyby, this is consistent with the Voyager measurements. When using the density profile provided by the particle model, the best fitting exobase density is in perfect agreement with the densities inferred by current photochemical models.Furthermore, a best fitting exospheric temperature of atomic hydrogen in the range of TH = (150-175) ± 25 K was obtained when assuming an isothermal exosphere for the calculations. The required exospheric temperature depends on the density distribution chosen. This result is within the temperature range determined by different instruments aboard Cassini. The inferred temperature is close to the critical temperature for atomic hydrogen, above which it can escape hydrodynamically after it diffused through the heavier background gas.  相似文献   

13.
We report on mid-resolution (R∼2000) spectroscopic observations of Titan, acquired in November 2000 with the Very Large Telescope and covering the range 4.75-5.07 μm. These observations provide a detailed characterization of the CO (1-0) vibrational band, clearly separating for the first time individual CO lines (P10 to P19 lines of 13CO). They indicate that the CO/N2 mixing ratio in Titan’s troposphere is 32±10 ppm. Comparison with photochemical models indicates that CO is not in a steady state in Titan’s atmosphere. The observations confirm that Titan’s 5-μm continuum geometric albedo is ∼0.06, and further indicates a ∼20% albedo decrease over 4.98-5.07 μm. Nonzero flux is detected at the 0.01 geometric albedo level in the saturated core of the 12CO (1-0) band, at 4.75-4.85 μm, providing evidence for backscattering on the stratospheric haze. Finally, emission lines are detected at 4.75-4.835 μm, coinciding in position with lines from the CO(1-0) and/or CO(2-1) bands. Matching them by thermal emission would require Titan’s stratosphere to be much warmer (by ∼ 25 K at 0.1 mbar) than indicated by the methane 7.7-μm emission and the Voyager radio-occultation. We show instead that a nonthermal mechanism, namely solar-excited fluorescence, is a more plausible source for these emissions. Improved observations and laboratory measurements on the vibrational-translational relaxation of CO are needed for further interpretation of these emissions in terms of a CO stratospheric mixing ratio.  相似文献   

14.
The spectrometers of the Cassini mission to the Saturn system have detected haze layers reaching up to 800 km in Titan’s atmosphere. Knowledge of the complex refractive index (k) of the haze is important for modeling the surface and atmosphere of Titan and retrieving some information about the functional groups present in the aerosols. Plasma discharges or ultraviolet radiation are commonly used to drive the formation of solid organics assumed to be good analogs of the Titan aerosols. [Tran, B.N., Ferris, J.P., Chera, J.J., 2003a. The photochemical formation of a Titan haze analog. Structural analysis by X-ray photoelectron and infrared spectroscopy. Icarus 162, 114-124; Tran, B.N., Force, M., Briggs, R., Ferris J.P., Persans, P., Chera, J.J., 2008. Photochemical processes on Titan: Irradiation of mixtures of gases that simulate Titan’s atmosphere. Icarus 177, 106-115] reported the index of refraction of analogs synthesized by far ultraviolet irradiation of various gas mixtures. k was determined in the 200-800 nm wavelength range from transmission and reflection spectroscopy. However, this technique is limited by (i) uncertainties in the absorption values because of the small amounts of organics available, (ii) light scattering by the surface roughness and particulates in the sample. These limitations prompted us to perform new measurements using photothermal deflection spectroscopy (PDS), a technique based on the conversion of absorbed light into heat in the material of interest. By combining traditional spectroscopy (λ < 500 nm) and PDS (λ > 500 nm), we determined values of k over the 375-1550 nm range. k values as low as 10−4 above 1000 nm were determined. This is one order of magnitude lower than the measurements generally used as a reference for Titan’s aerosols analogs [Khare, B.N., Sagan, C., Arakawa, E.T., Suits, F., Callicott, T.A., Williams, M.W., 1984. Optical-constants of organic Tholins produced in a simulated Titanian atmosphere—from soft-X-ray to microwave-frequencies. Icarus 60(1), 127-137]. We recommend that these results were used in models to describe the optical properties of the aerosols produced in Titan’s stratosphere.  相似文献   

15.
Narrow-band images of Titan were obtained in November 1999 with the NASA/GSFC- built acousto-optic imaging spectrometer (AImS) camera. This instrument utilizes a tunable filter element that was used within the 500- to 1050-nm range, coupled to a CCD camera system. The images were taken with the Mount Wilson 2.54-m (100 in.) Hooker telescope, which is equipped with a natural guide star adaptive optics system. We observed Titan at 830 and 890 nm and at a series of wavelengths across the 940-nm window in Titan’s atmosphere where the methane opacity is relatively low. We determined the absolute reflectivity (I/F) of Titan and fit the values at 940 nm to a Minnaert function at Titan’s equator and at −30° latitude (closer to the subsolar point) and obtained average values for the Minnaert limb-darkening slope, k, of 0.661 ± 0.007 and 0.775 ± 0.018, respectively. Comparison with models suggests that the equatorial value of k is consistent with rain removal of haze in the lower atmosphere. The higher value of k at −30° is consistent with the southern hemisphere being brighter than the equator. However, the fits are not unique. The data and models at 890 are consistent with no limb brightening or darkening at this wavelength either at the equator or at −30°.  相似文献   

16.
To investigate the evolution of any processes on planetary surfaces in the outer Solar System, the rheological properties of non-water ices were studied by means of a sound velocity measurement system and a uniaxial deformation apparatus. A pulse transmission method was used to obtain longitudinal (Vp) and transverse (Vs) wave velocities through solid nitrogen and methane at temperatures ranging from 5 to 64 K and from 5 to 90 K, respectively. The measured velocities confirmed that the solid methane and solid nitrogen samples were non-porous polycrystalline samples without any cracks and bubbles inside. Compression tests at constant strain-rate were performed for solid nitrogen and methane at temperatures of 5-56 K and 5-77 K, respectively, at strain-rates of 10−4-10−2 s−1. Both brittle and ductile behavior was observed for solid nitrogen and methane under these conditions. The maximum strength of solid nitrogen was observed to be 9 MPa in the brittle failure mode, and that of solid methane was 10 MPa. These low strengths cannot support cantaloupe structures with the topographic undulation larger than several kilometers found on Triton’s surface, suggesting that other materials such as H2O ice could underlay solid methane and nitrogen and support these structures.  相似文献   

17.
We analyze observations taken with Cassini’s Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS), to determine the current methane and haze latitudinal distribution between 60°S and 40°N. The methane variation was measured primarily from its absorption band at 0.61 μm, which is optically thin enough to be sensitive to the methane abundance at 20-50 km altitude. Haze characteristics were determined from Titan’s 0.4-1.6 μm spectra, which sample Titan’s atmosphere from the surface to 200 km altitude. Radiative transfer models based on the haze properties and methane absorption profiles at the Huygens site reproduced the observed VIMS spectra and allowed us to retrieve latitude variations in the methane abundance and haze. We find the haze variations can be reproduced by varying only the density and single scattering albedo above 80 km altitude. There is an ambiguity between methane abundance and haze optical depth, because higher haze optical depth causes shallower methane bands; thus a family of solutions is allowed by the data. We find that haze variations alone, with a constant methane abundance, can reproduce the spatial variation in the methane bands if the haze density increases by 60% between 20°S and 10°S (roughly the sub-solar latitude) and single scattering absorption increases by 20% between 60°S and 40°N. On the other hand, a higher abundance of methane between 20 and 50 km in the summer hemisphere, as much as two times that of the winter hemisphere, is also possible, if the haze variations are minimized. The range of possible methane variations between 27°S and 19°N is consistent with condensation as a result of temperature variations of 0-1.5 K at 20-30 km. Our analysis indicates that the latitudinal variations in Titan’s visible to near-IR albedo, the north/south asymmetry (NSA), result primarily from variations in the thickness of the darker haze layer, detected by Huygens DISR, above 80 km altitude. If we assume little to no latitudinal methane variations we can reproduce the NSA wavelength signatures with the derived haze characteristics. We calculate the solar heating rate as a function of latitude and derive variations of ∼10-15% near the sub-solar latitude resulting from the NSA. Most of the latitudinal variations in the heating rate stem from changes in solar zenith angle rather than compositional variations.  相似文献   

18.
There are observational and theoretical evidences both in favor of and against hydrodynamic escape (HDE) on Titan, and the problem remains unsolved. A test presented here for a static thermosphere does not support HDE on Titan and Triton but favors HDE on Pluto. Cooling of the atmosphere by the HCN rotational lines is limited by rotational relaxation above 1100 km and self-absorption below 900 km on Titan. HDE can affect the structure and composition of the atmosphere and its evolution. Hydrocarbon, nitrile, and ion chemistries are strongly coupled on Titan, and attempts to calculate them separately may result in significant errors. Here we apply our photochemical model of Titan’s atmosphere and ionosphere to the case of no hydrodynamic escape. Our model is still the only after-Cassini self-consistent model of coupled neutral and ion chemistry. The lack of HDE is a distinct possibility, and comparing models with and without HDE is of practical interest. The mean difference between the models and the neutral and ion compositions observed by INMS are somewhat better for the model with HDE. A reaction of NH2 with H2CN suggested by Yelle et al. (2009) reduces but does not remove a significant difference between the ammonia abundances in the models and INMS observations. Losses of methane and nitrogen and production and deposition to the surface of hydrocarbons and nitriles are evaluated in the model, along with lifetimes and evolutionary aspects.  相似文献   

19.
Chemical reactions and volatile supply through hypervelocity impacts may have played a key role for the origin and evolution of both planetary and satellite atmospheres. In this study, we evaluate the role of impact-induced N2 production from reduced nitrogen-bearing solids proposed to be contained in Titan’s crust, ammonium sulfate ((NH4)2SO4), for the replenishment of N2 to the atmosphere in Titan’s history. To investigate the conversion of (NH4)2SO4 into N2 by hypervelocity impacts, we measured gases released from (NH4)2SO4 that was exposed to hypervelocity impacts created by a laser gun. The sensitivity and accuracy of the measurements were enhanced by using an isotope labeling technique for the target. We obtained the efficiency of N2 production from (NH4)2SO4 as a function of peak shock pressure ranging from ∼8 to ∼45 GPa. Our results indicate that the initial and complete shock pressures for N2 degassing from (NH4)2SO4 are ∼10 and ∼25 GPa, respectively. These results suggest that cometary impacts on Titan (i.e., impact velocity vi > ∼8 km/s) produce N2 efficiently; whereas satellitesimal impacts during the accretion (i.e., vi < 4 km/s) produce N2 only inefficiently. Even when using the proposed small amount of (NH4)2SO4 content in the crust (∼4 wt.%) (Fortes, A.D. et al., 2007. Icarus 188, 139-153), the total amount of N2 provided through cometary impacts over 4.5 Ga reaches ∼2-6 times the present atmospheric N2 (i.e., ∼7 × 1020-2 × 1021 [mol]) based on the measured production efficiency and results of a hydrodynamic simulation of cometary impacts onto Titan. This implies that cometary impacts onto Titan’s crust have the potential to account for a large part of the present N2 through the atmospheric replenishment after the accretion.  相似文献   

20.
We obtained time-resolved, near-infrared spectra of Io during the 60-90 min following its reappearance from eclipse by Jupiter on five occasions in 2004. The purpose was to search for spectral changes, particularly in the well-known SO2 frost absorption bands, that would indicate surface-atmosphere exchange of gaseous SO2 induced by temperature changes during eclipse. These observations were a follow-on to eclipse spectroscopy observations in which Bellucci et al. [Bellucci et al., 2004. Icarus 172, 141-148] reported significant changes in the strengths of two strong SO2 bands in data acquired with the VIMS instrument aboard the Cassini spacecraft. One of the bands (4.07 μm [ν1 + ν3]) observed by Bellucci et al. is visible from ground-based observatories and is included in our data. We detected no changes in Io’s spectrum at any of the five observed events during the approximately 60-90 min during which spectra were obtained following Io’s emergence from Jupiter’s shadow. The areas of the three strongest SO2 bands in the region 3.5-4.15 μm were measured for each spectrum; the variation of the band areas with time does not exceed that which can be explained by the Io’s few degrees of axial rotation during the intervals of observation, and in no case does the change in band strength approach that seen in the Cassini VIMS data. Our data are of sufficient quality and resolution to show the weak 2.198 μm (4549.6 cm−1) 4ν1 band of SO2 frost on Io for what we believe is the first time. At one of the events (June 22, 2004), we began the acquisition of spectra ∼6 min before Io reappeared from Jupiter’s shadow, during which time it was detected through its own thermal emission. No SO2 bands were superimposed on the purely thermal spectrum on this occasion, suggesting that the upper limit to condensed SO2 in the vertical column above Io’s surface was ∼4 × 10−5 g cm−2.  相似文献   

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