Methane Band and Continuum Band Imaging of Titan's Atmosphere Using Cassini ISS Narrow Angle Camera Pictures from the CURE/Cassini Imaging Project
Abstract
The study of Titan's atmosphere, which bears resemblance to early Earth's, may help us understand more of our own. Constructing a Monte Carlo model of Titan's atmosphere is helpful to achieve this goal. Methane (MT) and continuum band (CB) images of Titan taken by the CURE/Cassini Imaging Project, using the Cassini Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) were analyzed. They were scheduled by Cassini Optical Navigation. Images were obtained at phase 53°, 112°, 161°, and 165°. They include 22 total MT1(center wavelength at 619nm), MT2(727nm), MT3(889nm), CB1(635nm), CB2(751nm), and CB3(938nm) images. They were reduced with previously written scripts using the National Optical Astronomy Observatory Image Reduction and Analysis Facility scientific analysis suite. Correction for horizontal and vertical banding and cosmic ray hits were made. The MT images were registered with corresponding CB images to ensure that subsequently measured fluxes ratios came from the same parts of the atmosphere. Preliminary DN limb-to-limb scans and loci of the haze layers will be presented. Accurate estimates of the sub-spacecraft points on each picture will be presented. Flux ratios (FMT/FCB=Q0) along the scans and total absorption coefficients along the lines of sight from the spacecraft through the pixels (and into Titan) will also be presented.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #214
- Pub Date:
- May 2009
- Bibcode:
- 2009AAS...21443502S