Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
10702017 | Icarus | 2005 | 17 Pages |
Abstract
We have acquired resolved images of Titan with the adaptive optics systems PUEO/KIR at the CFHT (Hawaii) and NAOS/CONICA at the VLT (Chile). We report here on images and maps (when data at several orbital phases are available) of Titan's surface from observations taken during the last 4 years (2001-2004) in all the methane windows between 1 and 2.5 μm (namely, at 1.08, 1.28, 1.6, and 2 μm). We present the only complete maps of Titan currently available at 1.3 μm, a spectral window where Titan appears particularly bright in spectroscopy, with a resolution of about 200 km at best on the ground. Our surface maps show the bright and dark regions sharing Titan's landscape with as much detail as possible from the ground and with high contrast in most cases. From the information gathered by comparing the maps at different wavelengths we derive constraints on the ground's composition. Our results could complete/optimize the return of the Cassini-Huygens mission.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Earth and Planetary Sciences
Space and Planetary Science
Authors
Athena Coustenis, Mathieu Hirtzig, Eric Gendron, Pierre Drossart, Olivier Lai, Michel Combes, Alberto Negrão,