HR: 1340h
AN: P23B-1358    [Abstracts]
TI: A Mid-latitude Cloud Eruption on Titan Observed by the Cassini Visual Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) in July 2007
AU: * Buratti, B J
EM: bonnie.buratti@jpl.nasa.gov
AF: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Inst. Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Dr. 183-501, Pasadena, CA 91109, United States
AU: Pitman, K M
EM: Karly.M.Pitman@jpl.nasa.gov
AF: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Inst. Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Dr. 183-501, Pasadena, CA 91109, United States
AU: Baines, K
EM: Kevin.Baines@jpl.nasa.gov
AF: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Inst. Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Dr. 183-501, Pasadena, CA 91109, United States
AU: Sotin, C
EM: Christophe.Sotin@jpl.nasa.gov
AF: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Inst. Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Dr. 183-501, Pasadena, CA 91109, United States
AU: Brown, R H
EM: rhb@lpl.arizona.edu
AF: University of Arizona, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, Tucson, AZ 85721, United States
AU: Clark, R N
EM: rclark@usgs.gov
AF: USGS, Mail stop 964 Box 25046, Denver, CO 80225, United States
AU: Nicholson, P D
EM: Nicholso@astro.cornell.edu
AF: Cornell University, Dep't. of Astronomy, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States
AU: Griffith, C A
EM: griffith@lpl.arizona.edu
AF: University of Arizona, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, Tucson, AZ 85721, United States
AU: Le Mouelic, S
EM: Stephane.Lemouelic@univ-nantes.fr
AF: University of Nantes, Laboratoire de Planetologie et Geodynamique, Nantes, CNRS 6112, France
AU: Momary, T
EM: Thomas.Momary@jpl.nasa.gov
AF: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Inst. Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Dr. 183-501, Pasadena, CA 91109, United States
AB: Mid-latitude clouds on Titan have been monitored by the Cassini spacecraft since they were reported by ground- based observers (Roe et al. 2005, Ap. J. 618, L49). The Cassini Visual Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) is especially suited to detecting and mapping these clouds because its wavelength range of 0.4-5.1 microns covers several key methane cloud filters. These clouds may be the result of atmospheric upwelling on Titan (Griffith et al. 2000 Science 290, p. 509; Rannou et al. 2006 Science 311, p. 201), or they may start as plumes coming from active geologic features on Titan (Roe et al. 2005, Science 310, p. 477). Mid-latitude clouds were observed in the early part of the nominal mission (Dec. 2004 and early 2005), but they had disappeared until a large cloud system was observed in summer 2006, in the 0-90 degrees W longitude mid-latitude regions of Titan. A new group of clouds was observed during the two flybys of July 2007, which dwarfs the previous mid-latitude system. These clouds originate in a region centered on ~200 W longitude and ~48 S latitude. Monitoring of mid-latitude clouds will show whether their timescales for formation are compatible with climate models for Titan's atmosphere. If mid-latitude clouds are the result of active geologic processes, there appears to be more than one source on Titan's surface. Work funded by NASA.
DE: 6281 Titan
SC: Planetary Sciences [P]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting