Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 13 May 2005:
Vol. 308. no. 5724, pp. 970 - 974
DOI: 10.1126/science.1109919
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Reports

Cassini Radar Views the Surface of Titan

C. Elachi,1 S. Wall,1* M. Allison,2 Y. Anderson,1 R. Boehmer,1 P. Callahan,1 P. Encrenaz,3 E. Flamini,4 G. Franceschetti,5 Y. Gim,1 G. Hamilton,1 S. Hensley,1 M. Janssen,1 W. Johnson,1 K. Kelleher,1 R. Kirk,6 R. Lopes,1 R. Lorenz,7 J. Lunine,7 D. Muhleman,8 S. Ostro,1 F. Paganelli,1 G. Picardi,9 F. Posa,10 L. Roth,1 R. Seu,9 S. Shaffer,1 L. Soderblom,6 B. Stiles,1 E. Stofan,11 S. Vetrella,5 R. West,1 C. Wood,12 L. Wye,13 H. Zebker13

The Cassini Titan Radar Mapper imaged about 1% of Titan's surface at a resolution of ~0.5 kilometer, and larger areas of the globe in lower resolution modes. The images reveal a complex surface, with areas of low relief and a variety of geologic features suggestive of dome-like volcanic constructs, flows, and sinuous channels. The surface appears to be young, with few impact craters. Scattering and dielectric properties are consistent with porous ice or organics. Dark patches in the radar images show high brightness temperatures and high emissivity and are consistent with frozen hydrocarbons.

1 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA.
2 Goddard Institute for Space Studies, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, New York, NY 10025, USA.
3 l'Observatoire de Paris, 75014 Paris, France.
4 Agenzia Spaziale Italiana, 00198 Rome, Italy.
5 Facoltá di Ingegneria, 80125 Naples, Italy.
6 U.S. Geological Survey, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA.
7 Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
8 Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
9 Universitá La Sapienza, 00184 Rome, Italy.
10 INFM and Dipartimento Interateneo di Fisica, Politecnico di Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy.
11 Proxemy Research, Laytonsville, MD 20882, USA.
12 Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA.
13 Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: steve.wall{at}jpl.nasa.gov

Read the Full Text


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Size and Shape of Saturn's Moon Titan.
H. A. Zebker, B. Stiles, S. Hensley, R. Lorenz, R. L. Kirk, and J. Lunine (2009)
Science 324, 921-923
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
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 »
Physical conditions on the early Earth.
J. I Lunine (2006)
Phil Trans R Soc B 361, 1721-1731
   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 sand seas of Titan: Cassini RADAR observations of longitudinal dunes..
R. D. Lorenz, S. Wall, J. Radebaugh, G. Boubin, E. Reffet, M. Janssen, E. Stofan, R. Lopes, R. Kirk, C. Elachi, et al. (2006)
Science 312, 724-727
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
A 5-Micron-Bright Spot on Titan: Evidence for Surface Diversity.
J. W. Barnes, R. H. Brown, E. P. Turtle, A. S. McEwen, R. D. Lorenz, M. Janssen, E. L. Schaller, M. E. Brown, B. J. Buratti, C. Sotin, et al. (2005)
Science 310, 92-95
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Intensive Titan Exploration Begins.
P. R. Mahaffy (2005)
Science 308, 969-970
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

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