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Science 20 October 2000:
Vol. 290. no. 5491, pp. 509 - 513
DOI: 10.1126/science.290.5491.509
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Reports

Detection of Daily Clouds on Titan

Caitlin A. Griffith,1 Joseph L. Hall,1 Thomas R. Geballe2

We have discovered frequent variations in the near-infrared spectrum of Titan, Saturn's largest moon, which are indicative of the daily presence of sparse clouds covering less than 1% of the area of the satellite. The thermodynamics of Titan's atmosphere and the clouds' altitudes suggest that convection governs their evolutions. Their short lives point to the presence of rain. We propose that Titan's atmosphere resembles Earth's, with clouds, rain, and an active weather cycle, driven by latent heat release from the primary condensible species.

1 Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011-6010, USA.
2 Gemini Observatory, Hilo, HI 96720, USA.

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THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Evolution of Titan and implications for its hydrocarbon cycle.
G Tobie, M Choukroun, O Grasset, S Le Mouelic, J.I Lunine, C Sotin, O Bourgeois, D Gautier, M Hirtzig, S Lebonnois, et al. (2009)
Phil Trans R Soc A 367, 617-631
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Storms, polar deposits and the methane cycle in Titan's atmosphere.
C. A. Griffith (2009)
Phil Trans R Soc A 367, 713-728
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Evidence for a polar ethane cloud on Titan..
C. A. Griffith, P. Penteado, P. Rannou, R. Brown, V. Boudon, K. H. Baines, R. Clark, P. Drossart, B. Buratti, P. Nicholson, et al. (2006)
Science 313, 1620-1622
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The Latitudinal Distribution of Clouds on Titan.
P. Rannou, F. Montmessin, F. Hourdin, and S. Lebonnois (2006)
Science 311, 201-205
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The Evolution of Titan's Mid-Latitude Clouds.
C. A. Griffith, P. Penteado, K. Baines, P. Drossart, J. Barnes, G. Bellucci, J. Bibring, R. Brown, B. Buratti, F. Capaccioni, et al. (2005)
Science 310, 474-477
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Geographic Control of Titan's Mid-Latitude Clouds.
H. G. Roe, M. E. Brown, E. L. Schaller, A. H. Bouchez, and C. A. Trujillo (2005)
Science 310, 477-479
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Evidence for the Exposure of Water Ice on Titan's Surface.
C. A. Griffith, T. Owen, T. R. Geballe, J. Rayner, and P. Rannou (2003)
Science 300, 628-630
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)