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Titan Surface Temperatures from Cassini CIRSThermal radiation from the surface of Titan reaches space through a spectral window at 19-microns wavelength. After removing the effects of the atmosphere, measurement of this radiance gives the brightness temperature of the surface. The Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) has made such measurements during the Cassini prime mission. These observations cover a wide range of emission angles, thereby constraining the contributions from atmospheric radiance and opacity. With the more complete latitude coverage and much larger dataset, we have been able to improve upon the original results from Voyager IRIS. CIRS measures an equatorial surface brightness temperature, averaged over longitude, of 93.7 +/- 0.6 K. This agrees with the HASI temperature at the Huygens landing site. The latitude dependence of surface brightness temperature exhibits an approximately 2 K decrease toward the South Pole and 3 K decrease toward the North Pole. The lower surface temperatures seen at high latitudes are consistent with conditions expected for lake formation.
Document ID
20080040800
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Jennings, Donald E.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Flasar, F.M.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Kundle, V.G.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Samuelson, R.E.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Pearl, J.C.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Nixon, C.A.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Carlson, R.C.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Mamoutkine, A.A.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Brasunas, J.C.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Guandique, E.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Achterberg, R.K.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Bjoraker, M.H.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Romani, P.N.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Segura, M.E.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Albright, S.A.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Elliott, M.H.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Tingley, J.S.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Calcutt, S.
(Oxford Univ. Oxford, United Kingdom)
Coustenis, A.
(Observatoire de Paris-Meudon France)
Bezard, B.
(Observatoire de Paris-Meudon France)
Courtin, R.
(Observatoire de Paris-Meudon France)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
October 9, 2008
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Meeting Information
Meeting: 40th Annual Meeting of the Division for Planetary Sciences of the American Astronomical Society
Location: Ithaca, New York
Country: United States
Start Date: October 10, 2008
End Date: October 15, 2008
Sponsors: Cornell Univ.
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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