Search Publications
Remarks about the data processing of the Relaxation Probe on the Huygens experiment
Molina-Cuberos, G. J.; Godard, R.
On January 14, 2005, the Relaxation Probe (RP) on the Huygens experiment measured the electrical conductivity in the lower atmosphere of Titan, the largest Saturnian satellite, from 140 km to 40 km of altitude. The Huygens experiment provided a unique opportunity to compare results from the Mutual Impedance Probe (MIP) with the Relaxation Probe (R…
Aerosols: The key to understanding Titan's lower ionosphere
López-Moreno, J. J.; Molina-Cuberos, G. J.; Witasse, O. +2 more
The Permittivity Wave and Altimetry system on board the Huygens probe observed an ionospheric hidden layer at a much lower altitude than the main ionosphere during its descent through the atmosphere of Titan, the largest satellite of Saturn. Previous studies predicted a similar ionospheric layer. However, neither previous nor post-Huygens theoreti…
Can laboratory tholins mimic the chemistry producing Titan's aerosols? A review in light of ACP experimental results
Poch, O.; Szopa, C.; Coll, P. +7 more
The first results obtained by the ACP experiment onboard Huygens probe revealed that the main products obtained after thermolysis of Titan's collected aerosols, were ammonia (NH3) and hydrogen cyanide (HCN). Titan's aerosols, and their laboratory analogues named tholins, have been the subject of experimental or theoretical studies durin…
A model of variability in Titan's atmospheric structure
Flasar, F. M.; Waite, J. H.; Lorenz, R. +2 more
Titan's atmosphere has been extensively studied during the Cassini-Huygens Mission. The polar environment undergoes considerable seasonal variation and is distinct from the more quiescent equatorial environment experienced by the Huygens probe in 2005. The thermal structure of the upper atmosphere is affected by interaction of Titan's atmosphere w…
Applications of a new set of methane line parameters to the modeling of Titan’s spectrum in the 1.58 µm window
Drossart, Pierre; Bézard, Bruno; Lellouch, Emmanuel +11 more
In this paper we apply a recently released set of methane line parameters (Wang et al., 2011) to the modeling of Titan spectra in the 1.58 µm window at both low and high spectral resolution. We first compare the methane absorption based on this new set of methane data to that calculated from the methane absorption coefficients derived in sit…
The surface energy balance at the Huygens landing site and the moist surface conditions on Titan
McKay, Christopher P.; Williams, Kaj E.; Persson, Fredrik
The Huygens Probe provided a wealth of data concerning the atmosphere of Titan. It also provided tantalizing evidence of a small amount of surface liquid. We have developed a detailed surface energy balance for the Probe landing site. We find that the daily averaged non-radiative fluxes at the surface are 0.7 W m-2, much larger than the…
Bouncing on Titan: Motion of the Huygens probe in the seconds after landing
Karkoschka, Erich; Schröder, Stefan E.; Lorenz, Ralph D.
While landing on Titan, several instruments onboard Huygens acquired measurements that indicate the probe did not immediately come to rest. Detailed knowledge of the probe's motion can provide insight into the nature of Titan's surface. Combining accelerometer data from the Huygens Atmospheric Structure Instrument (HASI) and the Surface Science Pa…
The reflectivity spectrum and opposition effect of Titan's surface observed by Huygens' DISR spectrometers
Karkoschka, Erich; Schröder, Stefan E.; Tomasko, Martin G. +1 more
We determined Titan's reflectivity spectrum near the Huygens' landing site from observations taken with the Descent Imager/Spectral Radiometer below 500 m altitude, in particular the downward-looking photometer and spectrometers. We distinguish signal coming from illumination by sunlight and the lamp onboard Huygens based on their different spectr…
The Huygens surface science package (SSP): Flight performance review and lessons learned
Lorenz, R. D.; Leese, M. R.; Hathi, B. +1 more
The Surface Science Package (SSP) was one of six instruments flown onboard the Huygens probe to Titan, the largest moon of Saturn, in the framework of the NASA/ESA/ASI Cassini-Huygens mission (Matson et al., 2002). The SSP operated throughout the probe's descent and after landing on Titan on 14th January 2005. This paper reviews scientific results…
Attitude and angular rates of planetary probes during atmospheric descent: Implications for imaging
Lorenz, Ralph D.
Attitude dynamics data from planetary missions are reviewed to obtain a zeroth-order expectation on the tilts and angular rates to be expected on atmospheric probes during descent: these rates are a strong driver on descent imager design. While recent Mars missions have been equipped with capable inertial measurements, attitude measurements for mi…