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Titan's Surface Temperatures from Cassini CIRSThe surface brightness temperature of Titan can be measured from Cassini through a spectral window at 19 microns where the atmosphere is low in opacity. The Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) on Cassini observes this wavelength in its far-infrared channel. Because the Cassini tour has provided global coverage and a range of viewing geometries, CIRS has been able to go beyond the earlier flyby results of Voyager IRIS Near the equator, CIRS measures the zonally-averaged surface brightness temperature to be 917 K, very close to the temperature found at the surface by Huygens. Latitude maps show that Titan's surface temperatures drop off by about 2 K toward the south and by about 3 K toward the north. This temperature distribution is consistent with Titan's late northern winter when the data were taken. As the seasons progress, CIRS is continuing to search for corresponding changes in the temperatures of the surface and lower atmosphere. CIRS is also extending global mapping to both latitude and longitude to look for correlations between surface temperatures and geological features.
Document ID
20110006431
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Jennings, Donald E. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Cottini, Valeria (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Nixon, Conor A. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 25, 2013
Publication Date
January 13, 2010
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Meeting Information
Meeting: Cassini-Huygens Project: Huygens Legacy and Future Titan Exploration
Location: Barcelona
Country: Spain
Start Date: January 13, 2010
End Date: January 15, 2010
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.

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