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Topographic, spectral and thermal inertia analysis of interior layered deposits in Iani Chaos, Mars
Teanby, N. A.; Grindrod, P. M.; Sefton-Nash, E. +2 more
We present an analysis of Interior Layered Deposits (ILDs) in Iani Chaos using visible, infrared, hyperspectral and topographic datasets acquired by instruments aboard NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Odyssey, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and ESA’s Mars Express spacecraft. We focus on four main regions where ILDs outcrop in Iani Chaos. Deposits sp…
Water vapor in Titan's stratosphere from Cassini CIRS far-infrared spectra
Lellouch, E.; Irwin, P. G. J.; Teanby, N. A. +12 more
Here we report the measurement of water vapor in Titan's stratosphere using the Cassini Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS, Flasar, F.M. et al. [2004]. Space Sci. Rev. 115, 169-297). CIRS senses water emissions in the far infrared spectral region near 50 µm, which we have modeled using two independent radiative transfer codes (NEMESIS (Ir…
Thermal structure and CO distribution for the Venus mesosphere/lower thermosphere: 2001-2009 inferior conjunction sub-millimeter CO absorption line observations
Moriarty-Schieven, Gerald; Clancy, R. Todd; Sandor, Brad J.
Sub-millimeter 12CO (346 GHz) and 13CO (330 GHz) line absorptions, formed in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere of Venus (70-120 km), have been mapped across the nightside Venus disk during 2001-2009 inferior conjunctions, employing the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT). Radiative transfer analysis of these thermal line…
The 2009-2010 fade of Jupiter's South Equatorial Belt: Vertical cloud structure models and zonal winds from visible imaging
Sánchez-Lavega, A.; Rojas, J. F.; Pérez-Hoyos, S. +3 more
The South Equatorial Belt (SEB) of Jupiter is known to alternate its appearance at visible wavelengths from a classical belt-like band most of the time to a short-lived zone-like aspect which is called a "fade" of the belt, hereafter SEBF. The albedo change of the SEB is due to a change in the structure and properties of the clouds and upper hazes…
Ground-based observations of the long-term evolution and death of Saturn's 2010 Great White Spot
Hueso, Ricardo; del Río-Gaztelurrutia, Teresa; Sánchez-Lavega, Agustín +8 more
We report on the long-term evolution of Saturn's sixth Great White Spot (GWS) event that initiated at northern mid-latitudes of the planet on December 5th, 2010 (Fletcher, L. et al. [2011]. Science 332, 1413-1417; Sánchez-Lavega, A. et al. [2011]. Nature 475, 71-74; Fischer, G. et al. [2011]. Nature 475, 75-77). We find from ground-based observati…
Gasa impact crater, Mars: Very young gullies formed from impact into latitude-dependent mantle and debris-covered glacier deposits?
Head, James W.; Schon, Samuel C.
The mode of formation of gullies on Mars, very young erosional-depositional landforms consisting of an alcove, channel, and fan, is one of the most enigmatic problems in martian geomorphology. Major questions center on their ages, geographic and stratigraphic associations, relation to recent ice ages, and, if formed by flowing water, the sources o…
Atomic oxygen on the Venus nightside: Global distribution deduced from airglow mapping
Montmessin, F.; Bertaux, J. -L.; Drossart, P. +3 more
The Visible and Infra-Red Thermal Imaging Spectrometer (VIRTIS) instrument on board the Venus Express spacecraft has measured the O 2(a 1Δ) nightglow distribution at 1.27 µm in the Venus mesosphere for more than two years. Nadir observations have been used to create a statistical map of the emission on Venus nightside. …
The formation of small cones in Isidis Planitia, Mars through mobilization of pyroclastic surge deposits
Ghent, Rebecca R.; Anderson, Steven W.; Pithawala, Taronish M.
We investigate the distinctive distribution and pattern of subkilometer-sized cones in Isidis Planitia, and their relationship to the material that fills the basin. We observe that: (1) the cones show uniform size, spacing, and morphology across the entire basin; (2) they have large central depressions (relative to cone basal diameters) that are g…
Investigation of air temperature on the nightside of Venus derived from VIRTIS-H on board Venus-Express
Drossart, P.; Piccioni, G.; Lebonnois, S. +3 more
We present the spatial distribution of air temperature on Venus' night side, as observed by the high spectral resolution channel of VIRTIS (Visible and Infrared Thermal Imaging Spectrometer), or VIRTIS-H, on board the ESA mission Venus Express. The present work extends the investigation of the average thermal fields in the northern hemisphere of V…
Gullies and their relationships to the dust-ice mantle in the northwestern Argyre Basin, Mars
Hiesinger, H.; Reiss, D.; Raack, J.
We investigated gullies and their relationships to the atmospherically derived dust-ice mantle and aeolian features in the northwestern part of the Argyre basin. A detailed morphologic map of the Argyre study region allowed us to constrain the stratigraphic relationships and relative ages of gullies. In addition, we investigated the morphologic ch…