The TEXES Titan Mid-Infrared Spectral Survey
Abstract
Titan's complicated atmospheric chemistry consumes methane and produces ethane, propane, heavier hydrocarbons, and eventually the thick haze layers. Much of our knowledge of Titan's atmospheric composition comes from relatively low resolution (R=100-1000) mid-infrared spectroscopy from the Voyager and Cassini missions. Higher resolution (R=10,000-100,000) spectroscopy is required to resolve individual emission lines and especially to separate the relative weak lines of trace species from the very strong lines of the more abundant species. High resolution spectroscopy is also useful as a `ground-truth' for the analysis of lower resolution spectra that measure the shape of a molecular band rather than the numerous individual lines that combine to form the band.
Using the Texas Echelon Cross Echelle Spectrograph (TEXES) at the NASA IRTF we have initiated a spectral survey of Titan. TEXES provides the capability of acquiring high-resolution (R=100,000) spectra over a wide bandpass, typically 5-10 cm-1. The goal of this survey is to observe Titan's entire spectrum over the wavelength range 7.7-13.8 μm (725-1300 cm-1), the limits of which are set by the atmospheric window in Earth's atmosphere. At this meeting we will present the data from our first observing run, representing 1/3 of the full survey. These data will be archived and publicly released in the future.- Publication:
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AAS/Division for Planetary Sciences Meeting Abstracts #41
- Pub Date:
- September 2009
- Bibcode:
- 2009DPS....41.1704R