Search Publications
Constraints on mantle plumes on Venus: Implications for volatile history
Sotin, Christophe; Smrekar, Suzanne E.
The analysis of Venus' gravity field and topography suggests the presence of a small number of deep mantle plumes (∼9). This study predicts the number of plumes formed at the core-mantle boundary, their characteristics, and the production of partial melt from adiabatic decompression. Numerical simulations are performed using a 3D spherical code th…
Magnetosphere-atmosphere coupling at Saturn: 1 - Response of thermosphere and ionosphere to steady state polar forcing
Galand, M.; Moore, L.; Müller-Wodarg, I. C. F. +2 more
We present comprehensive calculations of the steady state response of Saturn’s coupled thermosphere-ionosphere to forcing by solar radiation, magnetospheric energetic electron precipitation and high latitude electric fields caused by sub-corotation of magnetospheric plasma. Significant additions to the physical processes calculated in our Saturn T…
Valleys, paleolakes and possible shorelines at the Libya Montes/Isidis boundary: Implications for the hydrologic evolution of Mars
Poulet, F.; Jaumann, R.; Hiesinger, H. +5 more
We describe the results of our morphologic, stratigraphic and mineralogic investigations of fluvial landforms, paleolakes and possible shoreline morphologies at the Libya Montes/Isidis Planitia boundary. The landforms are indicative of aqueous activity and standing bodies of water, including lakes, seas and oceans, that are attributed to a complex…
Geologic interpretation of the near-infrared images of the surface taken by the Venus Monitoring Camera, Venus Express
Scholten, F.; Roatsch, Th.; Fiethe, B. +9 more
We analyze night-time near-infrared (NIR) thermal emission images of the Venus surface obtained with the 1-µm channel of the Venus Monitoring Camera onboard Venus Express. Comparison with the results of the Magellan radar survey and the model NIR images of the Beta-Phoebe region show that the night-time VMC images provide reliable informatio…
The abundance, vertical distribution and origin of H2O in Titan’s atmosphere: Herschel observations and photochemical modelling
Hartogh, Paul; Lellouch, Emmanuel; Lara, Luisa M. +4 more
Disk-averaged observations of water vapor in Titan’s atmosphere acquired with the Herschel satellite are reported. We use a combination of unresolved measurements of three H2O rotational lines at 66.4, 75.4 and 108.0 µm with the PACS instrument, and spectrally-resolved observations of two other transitions at 557 GHz (538 µm…
PacMan returns: An electron-generated thermal anomaly on Tethys
Spencer, J. R.; Howett, C. J. A.; Segura, M. +2 more
New Cassini observations show that Saturn’s moon Tethys, like Mimas, has a region of anomalously high thermal inertia at low latitudes centered on its leading hemisphere. Derivation of the thermophysical properties of the surface across three representative regions indicate that the bolometric Bond albedo across Tethys’ leading hemisphere remains …
General circulation and transport in Saturn's upper troposphere and stratosphere
Moses, Julianne I.; Friedson, A. James
We present a model for the general circulation and dynamical transport in Saturn's upper troposphere and stratosphere and derive the effective advective circulation and eddy transport coefficients required for use in two-dimensional (latitude-altitude) photochemistry-transport models. A three-dimensional Outer-Planet General Circulation Model (OPG…
Characterization of hydrated silicate-bearing outcrops in Tyrrhena Terra, Mars: Implications to the alteration history of Mars
Mangold, N.; Bibring, J. -P.; Gondet, B. +7 more
The Tyrrhena Terra region of Mars is studied with the imaging spectrometers OMEGA (Observatoire pour la Minéralogie, l'Eau, les Glaces et l'Activité) onboard Mars Express and CRISM (Compact Reconnaissance Infrared Spectrometer for Mars) onboard Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, through the observation of tens of craters that impacted into this part of …
Asteroid (2867) Steins: Shape, topography and global physical properties from OSIRIS observations
Jorda, L.; Lamy, P. L.; Groussin, O. +4 more
The Rosetta spacecraft flew by Asteroid (2867) Steins on 5 September 2008, allowing the onboard OSIRIS cameras to collect the first images of an E-type asteroid. We implemented several three-dimensional reconstruction techniques to retrieve its shape. Limb profiles, combined with stereo control points, were used to reconstruct an approximate shape…
A noon-to-midnight electric field and nightside dynamics in Saturn's inner magnetosphere, using microsignature observations
Krupp, N.; Dougherty, M. K.; Roussos, E. +5 more
We have created a new, updated catalog of energetic electron microsignature events caused by the moons Tethys and Dione. We used electron data of the MIMI-LEMMS detector that is onboard the Cassini spacecraft, in the energy range 20-300 keV and for the period from July 2004 to January 2011. The present study looks at how the location of a moon's w…