1. Photometric changes on Saturn's Titan: Evidence for active cryovolcanism
- Author
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Dale P. Cruikshank, Angioletta Coradini, F. Leader, Pierre Drossart, Karl L. Mitchell, P. Cerroni, Robert M. Nelson, Randolph L. Kirk, Dennis L. Matson, Stephen D. Wall, Fabrizio Capaccioni, John C. Pearl, Kevin H. Baines, Vito Mennella, M. Combes, P. D. Nicholson, Gianrico Filacchione, M. D. Boryta, Ralf Jaumann, L. W. Kamp, Yves Langevin, Rosaly M. C. Lopes, Bruno Sicardy, Thomas B. McCord, Jonathan I. Lunine, Vittorio Formisano, Jean-Pierre Bibring, Roger N. Clark, Bruce Hapke, Patrick G. J. Irwin, Christophe Sotin, Giancarlo Bellucci, William D. Smythe, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology (JPL), US Geological Survey, Flagstaff, Department of Geology and Planetary Science, University of Pittsburgh, Department of Earth Science and Astronomy, Mt. San Antonio College, Walnut, Institute for Planetary Exploration, Deutsches Zentrum for Luft und Raumfahrt, United States Geological Survey, Denver, SETI Institute, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Laboratoire d'études spatiales et d'instrumentation en astrophysique (LESIA), Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Pôle Planétologie du LESIA, Laboratoire d'études spatiales et d'instrumentation en astrophysique = Laboratory of Space Studies and Instrumentation in Astrophysics (LESIA), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris Cité (UPCité)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris Cité (UPCité), Lunar and Planetary Laboratory [University of Arizona] (LPL), University of Arizona, Departement de recherche SPAtiale (DESPA), Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL), ISFI, Institut d'astrophysique spatiale (IAS), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National d’Études Spatiales [Paris] (CNES), Bear Fight Center, Space Science Institute, Winthrop, INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte (INAF-OAC), Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, and NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center (NASA/GSFC)
- Subjects
Synthetic aperture radar ,Spectrometer ,Infrared ,cryovolcanism ,law.invention ,Astrobiology ,Photometry ,Orbiter ,symbols.namesake ,Geophysics ,law ,symbols ,General Earth and Planetary Sciences ,Titan ,[PHYS.ASTR]Physics [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph] ,Titan (rocket family) ,Geology ,Remote sensing - Abstract
International audience; We report infrared spectrophotometric variability on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan detected in images returned by the Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) onboard the Cassini Saturn Orbiter. The changes were observed at 7°S, 138°W and occurred between October 27, 2005 and January 15, 2006. After that date the surface was unchanged until the most recent observation, March 18, 2006. We previously reported spectrophotometric variability at another location (26°S, 78°W). Cassini Synthetic Aperture RADAR (SAR) images find that the surface morphology at both locations is consistent with surface flows possibly resulting from cryovolcanic activity (Wall et al., companion paper, this issue). The VIMS-reported time variability and SAR morphology results suggest that Titan currently exhibits intermittent surface changes consistent with present ongoing surface processes. We suggest that these processes involve material from Titan's interior being extruded or effused and deposited on the surface, as might be expected from cryovolcanism.
- Published
- 2016
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