A Hapke model implementation for compositional analysis of VNIR spectra of Mercury     

J. Warell  B.J.R. Davidsson 《Icarus》2010,209(1):164-178

An implementation of Hapke’s radiative transfer-based photometric model for light scattering in semi-transparent porous media is presented with special emphasis on the analysis of reflectance spectra of Mercury. The model allows intimate mixing of an arbitrary number of regolith components with varying modal abundances, modal chemistries and grain sizes, matured by microphase iron. Reflectance spectra of suites of silicates of varying grain sizes and chemistries are used to calculate the imaginary coefficient of the complex index of refraction as a function of chemistry, thus limiting the modeling effects of chemically atypical laboratory samples, and allowing controlled modeling of minerals with varying chemical compositions. The performance of the model in the visual to near-infrared wavelength range is evaluated for a range of chemically characterized silicate mixtures of terrestrial powders, meteorite powders, matured lunar return samples, and remotely sensed lunar spectra.  相似文献   

From planetesimals to terrestrial planets: N-body simulations including the effects of nebular gas and giant planets     

Ryuji Morishima  Joachim Stadel 《Icarus》2010,207(2):517-535

We present results from a suite of N-body simulations that follow the formation and accretion history of the terrestrial planets using a new parallel treecode that we have developed. We initially place 2000 equal size planetesimals between 0.5 and 4.0 AU and the collisional growth is followed until the completion of planetary accretion (>100 Myr). A total of 64 simulations were carried out to explore sensitivity to the key parameters and initial conditions. All the important effect of gas in laminar disks are taken into account: the aerodynamic gas drag, the disk-planet interaction including Type I migration, and the global disk potential which causes inward migration of secular resonances as the gas dissipates. We vary the initial total mass and spatial distribution of the planetesimals, the time scale of dissipation of nebular gas (which dissipates uniformly in space and exponentially in time), and orbits of Jupiter and Saturn. We end up with 1-5 planets in the terrestrial region. In order to maintain sufficient mass in this region in the presence of Type I migration, the time scale of gas dissipation needs to be 1-2 Myr. The final configurations and collisional histories strongly depend on the orbital eccentricity of Jupiter. If today’s eccentricity of Jupiter is used, then most of bodies in the asteroidal region are swept up within the terrestrial region owing to the inward migration of the secular resonance, and giant impacts between protoplanets occur most commonly around 10 Myr. If the orbital eccentricity of Jupiter is close to zero, as suggested in the Nice model, the effect of the secular resonance is negligible and a large amount of mass stays for a long period of time in the asteroidal region. With a circular orbit for Jupiter, giant impacts usually occur around 100 Myr, consistent with the accretion time scale indicated from isotope records. However, we inevitably have an Earth size planet at around 2 AU in this case. It is very difficult to obtain spatially concentrated terrestrial planets together with very late giant impacts, as long as we include all the above effects of gas and assume initial disks similar to the minimum mass solar nebular.  相似文献   

New Horizons Alice ultraviolet observations of a stellar occultation by Jupiter’s atmosphere     

Thomas K. Greathouse  G.R. Gladstone  S.A. Stern  R.J. Vervack Jr.  M.H. Versteeg  L.A. Young  H. Throop 《Icarus》2010,208(1):293-305

The Alice ultraviolet spectrograph onboard the New Horizons spacecraft observed two occultations of the bright star χ Ophiucus by Jupiter’s atmosphere on February 22 and 23, 2007 during the approach phase of the Jupiter flyby. The ingress occultation probed the atmosphere at 32°N latitude near the dawn terminator, while egress probed 18°N latitude near the dusk terminator. A detailed analysis of both the ingress and egress occultations, including the effects of molecular hydrogen, methane, acetylene, ethylene, and ethane absorptions in the far ultraviolet (FUV), constrains the eddy diffusion coefficient at the homopause level to be  cm² s⁻¹, consistent with Voyager measurements and other analyses (Festou, M.C., Atreya, S.K., Donahue, T.M., Sandel, B.R., Shemansky, D.E., Broadfoot, A.L. [1981]. J. Geophys. Res. 86, 5717-5725; Vervack Jr., R.J., Sandel, B.R., Gladstone, G.R., McConnell, J.C., Parkinson, C.D. [1995]. Icarus 114, 163-173; Yelle, R.V., Young, L.A., Vervack Jr., R.J., Young, R., Pfister, L., Sandel, B.R. [1996]. J. Geophys. Res. 101 (E1), 2149-2162). However, the actual derived pressure level of the methane homopause for both occultations differs from that derived by [Festou et al., 1981] and [Yelle et al., 1996] from the Voyager ultraviolet occultations, suggesting possible changes in the strength of atmospheric mixing with time. We find that at 32°N latitude, the methane concentration is  cm⁻³ at 70,397 km, the methane concentration is  cm⁻³ at 70,383 km, the acetylene concentration is  cm⁻³ at 70,364 km, and the ethane concentration is  cm⁻³ at 70,360 km. At 18°N latitude, the methane concentration is  cm⁻³ at 71,345 km, the methane concentration is  cm⁻³ at 71,332 km, the acetylene concentration is cm⁻³ at 71,318 km, and the ethane concentration is  cm⁻³ at 71,315 km. We also find that the H₂ occultation light curve is best reproduced if the atmosphere remains cold in the microbar region such that the base of the thermosphere is located at a lower pressure level than that determined by in situ instruments aboard the Galileo probe (Seiff, A., Kirk, D.B., Knight, T.C.D., Young, R.E., Mihalov, J.D., Young, L.A., Milos, F.S., Schubert, G., Blanchard, R.C., Atkinson, D. [1998]. J. Geophys. Res. 103 (E10), 22857-22889) - the Sieff et al. temperature profile leads to too much absorption from H₂ at high altitudes. However, this result is highly model dependent and non-unique. The observations and analysis help constrain photochemical models of Jupiter’s atmosphere.  相似文献   

The roughness of the dark side of Iapetus from the 2004 to 2005 flyby     

Janice S. Lee  Bonnie J. Buratti  Joel Mosher 《Icarus》2010,206(2):623-630

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   

Temporary liquid water in upper snow/ice sub-surfaces on Mars?     

Diedrich T.F. Möhlmann 《Icarus》2010,207(1):140-1033

It is investigated whether conditions for melting can be temporarily created in the upper sub-surface parts of snow/ice-packs on Mars at subzero surface temperatures by means of the solid-state greenhouse effect, as occurs in snow- and ice-covered regions on Earth. The conditions for this possible temporary melting are quantitatively described for bolometric albedo values A = 0.8 and A = 0.2, and with model parameters typical for the thermo-physical conditions at snow/ice sites on the surface of present Mars. It is demonstrated by numerical modelling that there are several sets of parameters which will lead to development of layers of liquid water just below the top surface of snow- and ice-packs on Mars. This at least partial liquefaction occurs repetitively (e.g. diurnally, seasonally), and can in some cases lead to liquid water persisting through the night-time in the summer season. This liquid water can form in sufficient amounts to be relevant for macroscopic physical (rheology, erosion), for chemical, and eventually also for biological processes. The creation of temporary pockets of sub-surface water by this effect requires pre-existing snow or ice cover, and thus is more likely to take place at high latitudes, since the present deposits of snow/ice can mainly be found there. Possible rheologic and related erosion consequences of the appearance of liquid sub-surface water in martian snow/ice-packs are discussed in view of current observations of recent rheologic processes.  相似文献   

Flow patterns of lobate debris aprons and lineated valley fill north of Ismeniae Fossae, Mars: Evidence for extensive mid-latitude glaciation in the Late Amazonian     

David M.H. Baker  James W. Head 《Icarus》2010,207(1):186-209

A variety of Late Amazonian landforms on Mars have been attributed to the dynamics of ice-related processes. Evidence for large-scale, mid-latitude glacial episodes existing within the last 100 million to 1 billion years on Mars has been presented from analyses of lobate debris aprons (LDA) and lineated valley fill (LVF) in the northern and southern mid-latitudes. We test the glacial hypothesis for LDA and LVF along the dichotomy boundary in the northern mid-latitudes by examining the morphological characteristics of LDA and LVF surrounding two large plateaus, proximal massifs, and the dichotomy boundary escarpment north of Ismeniae Fossae (centered at 45.3°N and 39.2°E). Lineations and flow directions within LDA and LVF were mapped using images from the Context (CTX) camera, the Thermal Emission Imaging Spectrometer (THEMIS), and the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC). Flow directions were then compared to topographic contours derived from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) to determine the down-gradient components of LDA and LVF flow. Observations indicate that flow patterns emerge from numerous alcoves within the plateau walls, are integrated over distances of up to tens of kilometers, and have down-gradient flow directions. Smaller lobes confined within alcoves and superposed on the main LDA and LVF represent a later, less extensive glacial phase. Crater size-frequency distributions of LDA and LVF suggest a minimum (youngest) age of 100 Ma. The presence of ring-mold crater morphologies is suggestive that LDA and LVF are formed of near-surface ice-rich bodies. From these observations, we interpret LDA and LVF within our study region to result from formerly active debris-covered glacial flow, consistent with similar observations in the northern mid-latitudes of Mars. Glacial flow was likely initiated from the accumulation and compaction of snow and ice on plateaus and in alcoves within the plateau walls as volatiles were mobilized to the mid-latitudes during higher obliquity excursions. Together with similar analyses elsewhere along the dichotomy boundary, these observations suggest that multiple glacial episodes occurred in the Late Amazonian and that LDA and LVF represent significant reservoirs of non-polar ice sequestered below a surface lag for hundreds of millions of years.  相似文献   

Equilibrium figures of inhomogeneous synchronous binary asteroids     

P. Descamps 《Icarus》2010,207(2):758-768

The present paper deals with the application of the classical theory of equilibrium figures of two rotating liquid masses to the case where bodies exhibit a radially stratified internal density distribution so that they can be considered as inhomogeneous bodies. The derived ellipsoidal shape solutions are applied to five real systems of equal-sized synchronous asteroids. Furthermore, internal inhomogeneity puts strong constraints on the surface grain density. A satisfactory model fit is achieved with internal densities of asteroids steadily increasing outwards. In particular, from such an approach we derived grain densities of the considered systems in agreement with their mineralogical composition inferred from reflectance spectroscopy. According to this new approach, 4492 Debussy, presently of unknown spectral type, is predicted to appear as a C-type object with a grain density on the order of 2 g/cm³.  相似文献   

Mid-infrared spectra of the shocked Murchison CM chondrite: Comparison with astronomical observations of dust in debris disks     

A. Morlok  C. Koike  N. Tomioka  I. Mann  K. Tomeoka 《Icarus》2010,207(1):45-53

We present laboratory mid-infrared transmission/absorption spectra obtained from matrix of the hydrated Murchison CM meteorite experimentally shocked at peak pressures of 10-49 GPa, and compare them to astronomical observations of circumstellar dust in different stages of the formation of planetary systems. The laboratory spectra of the Murchison samples exhibit characteristic changes in the infrared features. A weakly shocked sample (shocked at 10 GPa) shows almost no changes from the unshocked sample dominated by hydrous silicate (serpentine). Moderately shocked samples (21-34 GPa) have typical serpentine features gradually replaced by bands of amorphous material and olivine with increasing shock pressure. A strongly shocked sample (36 GPa) shows major changes due to decomposition of the serpentine and due to devolatilization. A shock melted sample (49 GPa) shows features of olivine recrystallized from melted material.The infrared spectra of the shocked Murchison samples show similarities to astronomical spectra of dust in various young stellar objects and debris disks. The spectra of highly shocked Murchison samples (36 and 49 GPa) are similar to those of dust in the debris disks of HD113766 and HD69830, and the transitional disk of HD100546. The moderately shocked samples (21-34 GPa) exhibit spectra similar to those of dust in the debris disks of Beta Pictoris and BD+20307, and the transitional disk of GM Aur. An average of the spectra of all Murchison samples (0-49 GPa) has a similarity to the spectrum of the older protoplanetary disk of SU Auriga. In the gas-rich transitional and protoplanetary disks, the abundances of amorphous silicates and gases have widely been considered to be a primary property. However, our study suggests that impact processing may play a significant role in generating secondary amorphous silicates and gases in those disks. Infrared spectra of the shocked Murchison samples also show similarities to the dust from comets (C/2002 V1, C/2001 RX14, 9P/Tempel 1, and Hale Bopp), suggesting that the comets also contain shocked Murchison-like material.  相似文献   

Metallicity of the massive protoplanets around HR 8799 If formed by gravitational instability     

R. Helled  P. Bodenheimer 《Icarus》2010,207(2):503-508

The final composition of giant planets formed as a result of gravitational instability in the disk gas depends on their ability to capture solid material (planetesimals) during their ‘pre-collapse’ stage, when they are extended and cold, and contracting quasi-statically. The duration of the pre-collapse stage is inversely proportional roughly to the square of the planetary mass, so massive protoplanets have shorter pre-collapse timescales and therefore limited opportunity for planetesimal capture. The available accretion time for protoplanets with masses of 3, 5, 7, and 10 Jupiter masses is found to be and 5.67×10³ years, respectively. The total mass that can be captured by the protoplanets depends on the planetary mass, planetesimal size, the radial distance of the protoplanet from the parent star, and the local solid surface density. We consider three radial distances, 24, 38, and 68 AU, similar to the radial distances of the planets in the system HR 8799, and estimate the mass of heavy elements that can be accreted. We find that for the planetary masses usually adopted for the HR 8799 system, the amount of heavy elements accreted by the planets is small, leaving them with nearly stellar compositions.  相似文献   

Titan trace gaseous composition from CIRS at the end of the Cassini-Huygens prime mission     

A. Coustenis  D.E. Jennings  R.K. Achterberg  S. Vinatier  N.A. Teanby  R.C. Carlson  G. Bampasidis  P.N. Romani 《Icarus》2010,207(1):461-18

This paper reports on the results from an extensive study of all nadir-looking spectra acquired by Cassini/CIRS during the 44 flybys performed in the course of the nominal mission (2004-2008). With respect to the previous study (Coustenis, A., and 24 colleagues [2007]. Icarus 189, 35-62, on flybys TB-T10) we present here a significantly richer dataset with, in particular, more data at high northern and southern latitudes so that the abundances inferred here at these regions are more reliable. Our enhanced high-resolution dataset allows us to infer more precisely the chemical composition of Titan all over the disk. We also include improved spectroscopic data for some molecules and updated temperature profiles. The latitudinal distributions of all of the gaseous species are inferred. We furthermore test vertical distributions essentially for acetylene (C₂H₂) from CIRS limb-inferred data and from current General Circulation Models for Titan and compare our results on all the gaseous abundances with predictions from 1-D photochemical-radiative models to check the reliability of the chemical reactions and pathways.  相似文献