1. Observations in the Saturn system during approach and orbital insertion, with Cassini's visual and infrared mapping spectrometer (VIMS)
- Author
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Robert M. Nelson, Kevin H. Baines, Ralf Jaumann, Angioletta Coradini, Christophe Sotin, Bruno Sicardy, Fabrizio Capaccioni, Mark R. Showalter, Dale P. Cruikshank, Caitlin A. Griffith, Pierre Drossart, Robert H. Brown, B. J. Buratti, Yves Langevin, Dennis L. Matson, Vito Mennella, Charles A. Hibbitts, Roger N. Clark, Priscilla Cerroni, Vittorio Formisano, Giancarlo Bellucci, P. D. Nicholson, Gary B. Hansen, N. Baugh, Tom Momary, Thomas B. McCord, Laboratoire de Planétologie et Géodynamique [UMR 6112] (LPG), Université d'Angers (UA)-Université de Nantes - UFR des Sciences et des Techniques (UN UFR ST), Université de Nantes (UN)-Université de Nantes (UN)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Department of Planetary Sciences, and Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology (JPL), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Isituto di Fisica dello Spazio Interplanetario, Via Fosso del Cavaliere, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Isituto di Astrofisica Spaziale, via Fosso del Cavaliere, US Geological Survey, Denver, SETI Institute, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Departement de recherche SPAtiale (DESPA), Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL), 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), Institute for Planetary Exploration, Deutsches Zentrum for Luft und Raumfahrt, 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), Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte (INAF-OAC), and Department of Astronomy, Cornell University
- Subjects
Solar System ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Infrared ,Rings of Saturn ,Astrophysics ,01 natural sciences ,symbols.namesake ,Impact crater ,0103 physical sciences ,VIMS ,Atmosphere of Titan ,010303 astronomy & astrophysics ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Physics ,Spectrometer ,Astronomy ,Astronomy and Astrophysics ,solar system ,Satellites de Glace ,Saturn ,[SDU]Sciences of the Universe [physics] ,13. Climate action ,Space and Planetary Science ,Absorption band ,infrared ,symbols ,[PHYS.ASTR]Physics [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph] ,Titan (rocket family) - Abstract
International audience; The Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer observed Phoebe, Iapetus, Titan and Saturn's rings during Cassini's approach and orbital insertion. Phoebe's surface contains water ice, CO{2}, and ferrous iron. Iapetus contains CO{2} and organic materials. Titan's atmosphere shows methane fluorescence, and night-side atmospheric emission that may be CO{2} and CH{3}D. As determined from cloud motions, the winds at altitude 25-30 km in the south polar region of Titan appear to be moving in a prograde direction at velocity ˜ 1 m s-1. Circular albedo features on Titan's surface, seen at 2.02 mu m, may be palimpsests remaining from the rheological adjustment of ancient impact craters. As such, their long-term persistence is of special interest in view of the expected precipitation of liquids and solids from the atmosphere. Saturn's rings have changed little in their radial structure since the Voyager flybys in the early 1980s. Spectral absorption bands tentatively attributed to Fe2+ suggest that iron-bearing silicates are a source of contamination of the C ring and the Cassini Division.
- Published
- 2006
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