Search Publications
Non-uniform global methane distribution in Titan’s troposphere evidenced by Cassini radio occultations
Tokano, Tetsuya
The global distribution of atmospheric pressure retrieved from Cassini radio occultations is reanalyzed and interpreted in a meteorological context. The retrieval of Titan's atmospheric pressure profile from radio occultations is ambiguous because it depends on the methane mole fraction, which is not precisely known in the troposphere beyond the e…
Mid-infrared spectroscopy of components in chondrites: Search for processed materials in young Solar Systems and comets
Lisse, C. M.; Grady, M. M.; Morlok, A. +2 more
We obtained mid-infrared spectra of chondrules, matrix, CAIs and bulk material from primitive type 1-4 chondrites in order to compare them with the dust material in young, forming Solar Systems and around comets. Our aim is to investigate whether there are similarities between the first processed materials in our early Solar System and protoplanet…
Properties of a large-scale flux rope and current sheet region on the dayside of Mars: MGS MAG/ER and MEX ASPERA-3 ELS observations
Barabash, Stas; Coates, Andrew J.; Frahm, Rudy A. +6 more
We present dual spacecraft observations by MGS MAG/ER and MEX ASPERA-3 ELS of a large-scale magnetic flux rope on the dayside of Mars that occurs in close proximity to the crustal magnetic fields and a dayside current sheet region. A current sheet (including the large-scale flux rope) was observed on repeated MGS orbits when the draped solar wind …
Searching for springtime zonal liquid interfacial water on Mars
Kereszturi, Akos; Appéré, Thomas
We analyzed the spatial and temporal characteristics of the surface temperature at the northern water ice annulus on Mars that is left behind the receding seasonal carbon dioxide cap in springtime. Using OMEGA hyperspectral images we show that water ice without carbon dioxide ice coverage lasts for 10-30 days between 55° and 70°N. The longest wate…
The orbit of transneptunian binary Manwë and Thorondor and their upcoming mutual events
Grundy, W. M.; Noll, K. S.; Benecchi, S. D. +1 more
A new Hubble Space Telescope observation of the 7:4 resonant transneptunian binary system (385446) Manwë has shown that, of two previously reported solutions for the orbit of its satellite Thorondor, the prograde one is correct. The orbit has a period of 110.18 ± 0.02 days, semimajor axis of 6670 ± 40 km, and an eccentricity of 0.563 ± 0.007. It w…
Analysis of clumps in Saturn's F ring from Voyager and Cassini
Showalter, Mark R.; French, Robert S.; Hicks, Shannon K. +2 more
Saturn's F ring is subject to dynamic structural changes over short periods. Among the observed phenomena are diffuse extended bright clumps (ECs) ∼3-40° in longitudinal extent. These ECs appear, evolve, and disappear over a span of days to months. ECs have been seen by the two Voyager spacecraft, the Cassini Orbiter, and various ground- and space…
Titan's emission processes during eclipse
West, R. A.; Rannou, P.; Lavvas, P. +1 more
Observations of Titan's emissions during its 2009 eclipse by Saturn revealed a weak airglow around the moon, as well as a brighter emission from its disk (West et al. [2012]. Geophys. Res. Lett. 39 (1), 18204). We explore here the potential mechanisms that could generate these emissions and more specifically the role of magnetospheric plasma and c…
Azimuthal temperature modulations of Saturn's A ring caused by self-gravity wakes
Spilker, Linda; Morishima, Ryuji; Turner, Neal
The physical temperatures of the Saturn's A ring measured by the Cassini Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) show quadrupole azimuthal modulations besides temperature drops in Saturn's shadow. These azimuthal modulations are likely to be caused by self-gravity wakes. In this paper, we develop a new thermal model in which wakes are modeled as el…
Two numerical models designed to reproduce Saturn ring temperatures as measured by Cassini-CIRS
Altobelli, Nicolas; Flandes, A.; Leyrat, C. +7 more
We present two numerical models designed to reproduce the temperatures of the illuminated Saturn rings as measured by the CASSINI-CIRS instrument. Our models are constrained by all available temperature measurements performed on the illuminated rings since SOI. Both models reproduce well the variations of temperature under any illumination and obs…
Western Oceanus Procellarum as seen by C1XS on Chandrayaan-1
Howe, C. J.; Kellett, B. J.; Crawford, I. A. +3 more
We present the analysis of an X-ray fluorescence (XRF) observation of the western part of Oceanus Procellarum on the Moon’s nearside made by the Chandrayaan-1 X-ray Spectrometer on 10th February 2009. Through forward modelling of the X-ray spectra, we provide estimates of the MgO/SiO2 and Al2O3/SiO2 rati…