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Global-scale surface spectral variations on Titan seen from Cassini/VIMS

January 1, 2007

We present global-scale maps of Titan from the Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) instrument on Cassini. We map at 64 near-infrared wavelengths simultaneously, covering the atmospheric windows at 0.94, 1.08, 1.28, 1.6, 2.0, 2.8, and 5 ??m with a typical resolution of 50 km/pixel or a typical total integration time of 1 s. Our maps have five to ten times the resolution of ground-based maps, better spectral resolution across most windows, coverage in multiple atmospheric windows, and represent the first spatially resolved maps of Titan at 5 ??m. The VIMS maps provide context and surface spectral information in support of other Cassini instruments. We note a strong latitudinal dependence in the spectral character of Titan's surface, and partition the surface into 9 spectral units that we describe in terms of spectral and spatial characteristics. ?? 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Publication Year 2007
Title Global-scale surface spectral variations on Titan seen from Cassini/VIMS
DOI 10.1016/j.icarus.2006.08.021
Authors J. W. Barnes, R. H. Brown, L. Soderblom, B. J. Buratti, Christophe Sotin, S. Rodriguez, S. Le Mouelic, K. H. Baines, R. Clark, P. Nicholson
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Icarus
Index ID 70033153
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse