NOTE: The Shape of Triton from Limb Profiles
Abstract
Limb profiles from Voyager 2 images of Triton show it to be an ellipsoid of axes 1354.6, 1352.8, and 1352.4 km (±0.9 km). Topography on the limbs suggests no large provinces such as "continents" with relief over a kilometer. The shape solution is not accurate enough to constrain Triton's moments of inertia. The apparently relaxed shape is consistent with the youthful geologic features and supports interpretations that atmospheric distortion suggested by occultation data is due to atmospheric phenomena rather than physical body distortions.
- Publication:
-
Icarus
- Pub Date:
- December 2000
- DOI:
- 10.1006/icar.2000.6511
- Bibcode:
- 2000Icar..148..587T