Search Publications
An Estimate of the Chemical Composition of Titan's Lakes
Mousis, Olivier; Lunine, Jonathan I.; Lavvas, Panayotis +2 more
Hundreds of radar-dark patches interpreted as lakes have been discovered in the north and south polar regions of Titan. We have estimated the composition of these lakes by using the direct abundance measurements from the Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer aboard the Huygens probe and recent photochemical models based on the vertical temperature p…
The detached haze layer in Titan's mesosphere
Lavvas, Panayotis; Yelle, Roger V.; Vuitton, Véronique
By comparing observations from the Cassini imaging system, UV spectrometer, and Huygens atmospheric structure instrument, we determine an apparent radius of ∼40 nm, an imaginary index <0.3 at 187.5 nm and a number density of ∼30 particles cm -3 for the detached haze layer at 520 km in Titan's mesosphere. We point out that the detache…
Ionization processes in the atmosphere of Titan. I. Ionization in the whole atmosphere
Gronoff, G.; Lilensten, J.; Desorgher, L. +1 more
Context: The Cassini probe regularly passes in the vicinity of Titan, revealing new insights into particle precipitation thanks to the electron and proton spectrometer. Moreover, the Huygens probe has revealed an ionized layer at 65~km induced by cosmic rays. The impact of these different particles on the chemistry of Titan is probably very strong…
Fluvial network analysis on Titan: Evidence for subsurface structures and west-to-east wind flow, southwestern Xanadu
Burr, Devon M.; Mitchell, Karl L.; Jacobsen, Robert E. +3 more
Data of Titan's surface from the Cassini-Huygens mission show inferred fluvial networks interpreted as products of liquid alkane flow. Using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data, we delineated drainage networks, measured network parameters, and used these measurements in a simplified algorithm for classifying terrestrial drainage patterns. The resu…
New insights on Titan's plasma-driven Schumann resonance inferred from Huygens and Cassini data
Sotin, C.; Kurth, W. S.; Berthelier, J. J. +8 more
After a preliminary analysis of the low-frequency data collected with the electric antenna of the Permittivity, Wave and Altimetry (PWA) experiment onboard the Huygens Probe that landed on Titan on 14 January, 2005, it was anticipated in a previous article [Béghin et al., 2007. A Schumann-like resonance on Titan driven by Saturn's magnetosphere po…
Limits on the size of aerosols from measurements of linear polarization in Titan’s atmosphere
Tomasko, M. G.; Doose, L. R.; Dafoe, L. E. +1 more
The Descent Imager/Spectral Radiometer (DISR) instrument on the Huygens probe into the atmosphere of Titan yielded information on the size, shape, optical properties, and vertical distribution of haze aerosols in the atmosphere of Titan [Tomasko, M.G., Doose, L., Engel, S., Dafoe, L.E., West, R., Lemmon, M., Karkoschka, E., 2008. Planet. Space Sci…
Ionization processes in the atmosphere of Titan. II. Electron precipitation along magnetic field lines
Gronoff, G.; Lilensten, J.; Modolo, R.
Context: The Cassini probe regularly passes the vicinity of Titan, providing new insights into particle precipitation by use of its electron and ion spectrometers. A discrepancy between precipitation models and observations of electron fluxes has been found. This discrepancy was suspected to be caused by the geometry of the magnetic field.
Aim…
Cassini-Huygens results on Titan's surface
Coustenis, Athena; Hirtzig, Mathieu
Our understanding of Titan, Saturn's largest satellite, has recently been considerably enhanced, thanks to the Cassini-Huygens mission. Since the Saturn Orbit Injection in July 2004, the probe has been harvesting new insights of the Kronian system. In particular, this mission orchestrated a climax on January 14, 2005 with the descent of the Huygen…
Results from the Huygens probe on Titan
Strobel, Darrell; Coustenis, Athena; Lebreton, Jean-Pierre +3 more
The Cassini-Huygens mission, comprising the NASA Saturn Orbiter and the ESA Huygens Probe, arrived at Saturn in late June 2004. The Huygens probe descended under parachute in Titan's atmosphere on 14 January 2005, 3 weeks after separation from the Orbiter. We discuss here the breakthroughs that the Huygens probe, in conjunction with the Cassini sp…
A review of Titan's atmospheric phenomena
Sotin, Christophe; Le Mouélic, Stéphane; Tokano, Tetsuya +2 more
Saturn’s satellite Titan is a particularly interesting body in our solar system. It is the only satellite with a dense atmosphere, which is primarily made of nitrogen and methane. It harbours an intricate photochemistry, that populates the atmosphere with aerosols, but that should deplete irreversibly the methane. The observation that methane is n…