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Ion Neutral Mass Spectrometer Results from the First Flyby of Titan
Ip, Wing-Huen; McNutt, Ralph L.; Waite, J. Hunter +19 more
The Cassini Ion Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS) has obtained the first in situ composition measurements of the neutral densities of molecular nitrogen, methane, molecular hydrogen, argon, and a host of stable carbon-nitrile compounds in Titan's upper atmosphere. INMS in situ mass spectrometry has also provided evidence for atmospheric waves in th…
Imaging of Titan from the Cassini spacecraft
Dones, Luke; Porco, Carolyn C.; McEwen, Alfred +33 more
Titan, the largest moon of Saturn, is the only satellite in the Solar System with a substantial atmosphere. The atmosphere is poorly understood and obscures the surface, leading to intense speculation about Titan's nature. Here we present observations of Titan from the imaging science experiment onboard the Cassini spacecraft that address some of …
Titan's Atmospheric Temperatures, Winds, and Composition
Strobel, D. F.; Showalter, M. R.; Lellouch, E. +42 more
Temperatures obtained from early Cassini infrared observations of Titan show a stratopause at an altitude of 310 kilometers (and 186 kelvin at 15°S). Stratospheric temperatures are coldest in the winter northern hemisphere, with zonal winds reaching 160 meters per second. The concentrations of several stratospheric organic compounds are enhanced a…
Composition and Dynamics of Plasma in Saturn's Magnetosphere
Lewis, G. R.; Coates, A. J.; Linder, D. R. +40 more
During Cassini's initial orbit, we observed a dynamic magnetosphere composed primarily of a complex mixture of water-derived atomic and molecular ions. We have identified four distinct regions characterized by differences in both bulk plasma properties and ion composition. Protons are the dominant species outside about 9 RS (where R
Radio and Plasma Wave Observations at Saturn from Cassini's Approach and First Orbit
Gurnett, D. A.; Persoon, A. M.; Hospodarsky, G. B. +24 more
We report data from the Cassini radio and plasma wave instrument during the approach and first orbit at Saturn. During the approach, radio emissions from Saturn showed that the radio rotation period is now 10 hours 45 minutes 45 +/- 36 seconds, about 6 minutes longer than measured by Voyager in 1980 to 1981. In addition, many intense impulsive rad…
Cassini Radar Views the Surface of Titan
Stiles, B.; Kelleher, K.; Callahan, P. +32 more
The Cassini Titan Radar Mapper imaged about 1% of Titan's surface at a resolution of ~0.5 kilometer, and larger areas of the globe in lower resolution modes. The images reveal a complex surface, with areas of low relief and a variety of geologic features suggestive of dome-like volcanic constructs, flows, and sinuous channels. The surface appears …
Tidal dissipation within large icy satellites: Applications to Europa and Titan
Sotin, C.; Tobie, G.; Mocquet, A.
This paper describes a new approach based on variational principles to calculate the radial distribution of tidal energy dissipation in any satellite. The advantage of the model with respect to classical solutions, is that it relates in a straightforward way the radial distribution of the time-averaged dissipation rate to its sensitivity to the co…
Cassini Magnetometer Observations During Saturn Orbit Insertion
Russell, C. T.; Dougherty, M. K.; Balogh, A. +15 more
Cassini's successful orbit insertion has provided the first examination of Saturn's magnetosphere in 23 years, revealing a dynamic plasma and magnetic environment on short and long time scales. There has been no noticeable change in the internal magnetic field, either in its strength or its near-alignment with the rotation axis. However, the exter…
Release of volatiles from a possible cryovolcano from near-infrared imaging of Titan
Rodriguez, S.; Sotin, C.; Brown, R. H. +23 more
Titan is the only satellite in our Solar System with a dense atmosphere. The surface pressure is 1.5bar (ref. 1) and, similar to the Earth, N2 is the main component of the atmosphere. Methane is the second most important component, but it is photodissociated on a timescale of 107years (ref. 3). This short timescale has led to…
Cassini Measurements of Cold Plasma in the Ionosphere of Titan
Gurnett, D. A.; Persoon, A. M.; Dougherty, M. K. +15 more
The Cassini Radio and Plasma Wave Science (RPWS) Langmuir probe (LP) sensor observed the cold plasma environment around Titan during the first two flybys. The data show that conditions in Saturn's magnetosphere affect the structure and dynamics deep in the ionosphere of Titan. The maximum measured ionospheric electron number density reached 3800 p…