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Science 13 January 2006:
Vol. 311. no. 5758, pp. 201 - 205
DOI: 10.1126/science.1118424
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Reports

The Latitudinal Distribution of Clouds on Titan

P. Rannou,1* F. Montmessin,1,2 F. Hourdin,3 S. Lebonnois3

Clouds have been observed recently on Titan, through the thick haze, using near-infrared spectroscopy and images near the south pole and in temperate regions near 40°S. Recent telescope and Cassini orbiter observations are now providing an insight into cloud climatology. To study clouds, we have developed a general circulation model of Titan that includes cloud microphysics. We identify and explain the formation of several types of ethane and methane clouds, including south polar clouds and sporadic clouds in temperate regions and especially at 40° in the summer hemisphere. The locations, frequencies, and composition of these cloud types are essentially explained by the large-scale circulation.

1 Service d'Aéronomie, Institut Pierre Simon Laplace, Université de Versailles-St-Quentin, BP3, 91371 Verrières le Buisson, France.
2 NASA-Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA.
3 Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique/IPSL, Université de Paris 6, 75252 Paris Cedex 05, France.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: pra{at}aero.jussieu.fr

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