HR: 10:50h
AN: P22B-03 [Abstracts]
TI: Saturn's Titan: Searching for Surface Change
AU: * Nelson, R M
EM: robert.m.nelson@jpl.nasa.gov
AF: Jet Propulsion Lab, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, United States
AU: Kamp, L
EM: l.kamp@jpl.nasa.gov
AF: Jet Propulsion Lab, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, United States
AU: Matson, D L
EM: dennis.l.matson@jpl.nasa.gov
AF: Jet Propulsion Lab, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, United States
AU: Boryta, M D
EM: m.boryta@oao.net
AF: Mount San Antonia College, POB1, Walnut, CA 91100, United States
AU: Leader, F
EM: f.leader@jpl.nasa.gov
AF: Jet Propulsion Lab, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, United States
AU: Baines, K H
EM: kevin.h.baines@jpl.nasa.gov
AF: Jet Propulsion Lab, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, United States
AU: Lopes, R
EM: rosaly.m.lopes@jpl.nasa.gov
AF: Jet Propulsion Lab, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, United States
AU: Smythe, W D
EM: w.d.smythe@jpl.nasa.gov
AF: Jet Propulsion Lab, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, United States
AU: Jauman, R
EM: r.jaumen@dle.de
AF: DLS, Dlrstrasse, Berlin, 12345, Germany
AU: Sotin, C
EM: c.sotan.unantes.fr
AF: Jet Propulsion Lab, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, United States
AU: Clark, R N
EM: rnclark@usgs.gov
AF: USGS, USGS Rd1, Denver, CO 86354, United States
AU: Cruikshank, D P
EM: dpcruickhank@nasa.gov
AF: NASA Ames, NASA rd 1, Mountain View, CA 83135, United States
AU: Drosart, P
EM: p.drossart@uparis.fr
AF: Obs de Paris, Rue de Obs., Meudon, 12345, France
AU: Hapke, B W
EM: hapke@pitt.edu
AF: U of Pittsburgh, 321 OEH, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, United States
AU: Buratti, B J
EM: bonnie.j.buratti@jpl.nasa.gov
AF: Jet Propulsion Lab, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, United States
AU: Brown, R H
EM: rhbrown@arizona.edu
AF: U of Arizona, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, Tucson, AZ 12345, United States
AU: Sicardy, B
EM: sicardy@uparis.fr
AF: Obs de Paris, Rue de Obs., Meudon, 12345, France
AU: Lunine, J I
EM: j.lunine@arizona.edu
AF: U of Arizona, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, Tucson, AZ 12345, United States
AU: Combes, M
EM: m.combes@obsparis.fr
AF: Obs de Paris, Rue de Obs., Meudon, 12345, France
AU: Combes, M
EM: m.combes@obsparis.fr
AF: Observatoire de Paris, Rue de Observatoire, Paris, 12345, France
AU: Belucci, G
EM: g.belucci@ifa.it
AF: Instituto de Astropisica Spaziale, Institito #1, Rome, 12345, Italy
AU: Biebring, J
EM: beibring@uparis.fr
AF: U of Arizona, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, Tucson, AZ 12345, United States
AU: Biebring, J
EM: beibring@uparis.fr
AF: Universite de Paris Sud-Orsay, Rud sud #1, Orsey, 12345, France
AU: Capaccioni, M
EM: Capaccioni@ifa.it
AF: Instituto de Astropisica Spaziale, Institito #1, Rome, 12345, Italy
AU: Cerroni, P
EM: cerroin@ifa.it
AF: Instituto de Astropisica Spaziale, Institito #1, Rome, 12345, Italy
AU: Corodini, A
EM: a.corodini@ifa.it
AF: Instituto de Astropisica Spaziale, Institito #1, Rome, 12345, Italy
AU: Formisano, V
EM: vformisano@ifa.it
AF: Instituto de Astropisica Spaziale, Institito #1, Rome, 12345, Italy
AU: Filacchione, G
EM: filacchione@ifa.it
AF: Instituto de Astropisica Spaziale, Institito #1, Rome, 12345, Italy
AU: Langevin, Y
EM: Langevin@uparis.fr
AF: U of Arizona, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, Tucson, AZ 12345, United States
AU: McCord, T
EM: mccord@uwash.edu
AF: University of Washington, Department of planetary science, Seattle, WA 92045, United
States
AU: Mennella, V
EM: menella@capi.it
AF: Oservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte, via Oservatiro, Napoli, 12345, Italy
AU: Nicholson, P
EM: nicholson@cornell.edu
AF: Cornell University, Department of Astronomy, Ithaca, NY 12764, United States
AB:
The VIMS instrument on the Cassini spacecraft observes the surface of Titan through spectral ‘windows' in its
atmosphere where methane, the principal absorbing gas is transmitting. We previously have used VIMS to
document changes in spectral reflectance and that have occurred on Titan's surface during Cassini's orbital tour
at (latitude 26S, longitude 78W), (AGU spring meeting 2007). Having removed the possibility that the observed
changes are either an atmospheric phenomenon or are the result of viewing angle (phase) effects, we conclude
that physical changes in the chemistry or structure of the surface must be occurring. The size of the region
suggests it may exceed the size of the largest active volcanic areas in the solar system.
We now have explored additional sections of Titan's surface and have developed new techniques for locating
surface changes over time. While some additional candidate areas for surface activity are suggested,
confirmation is possible with the support of additional instruments on the Cassini Orbiter, particularly the radar
instrument. The principal difficulty in implementing a coordinated program of observations with both instruments
is due to the radar instrument's higher spatial resolution but small footprint on the surface relative to VIMS. In
addition, the two instruments can not be used simultaneously on the same pass. Overlapping coverage will only
be available after repeated flybys during Cassini's extended mission.
This work done at JPL/CALTECH under contract with NASA
DE: 5464 Remote sensing
DE: 5480 Volcanism (6063, 8148, 8450)
DE: 6280 Saturnian satellites
DE: 6281 Titan
SC: Planetary Sciences [P]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting