Publication Abstracts

Turtle et al. 2009

Turtle, E.P., J.E. Perry, A.S. McEwen, A.D. Del Genio, J. Barbara, R.A. West, D.D. Dawson, and C.C. Porco, 2009: Cassini imaging of Titan's high-latitude lakes, clouds, and south-polar surface changes. Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L02204, doi:10.1029/2008GL036186.

Cassini's Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS) has been observing Titan since April 2004, compiling a nearly global surface map and monitoring the surface and atmosphere for activity. Early images of the south-polar region revealed numerous dark surface features and contemporaneous convective cloud systems, suggesting the presence of hydrocarbon lakes similar to those later detected at Titan's North Pole. Intriguingly, repeated south-polar imaging by ISS revealed differences consistent with ponding of hydrocarbon liquids on the surface due to precipitation from a large storm. More recent ISS images of high northern latitudes illustrate the full extents (>500,000 km2) of hydrocarbon seas, sections of which have been observed by Cassini's RADAR. These observations demonstrate dynamic processes at work on Titan and that the poles harbor liquid-hydrocarbon reservoirs, the extents of which differ from pole to pole and which may be coupled to seasonally varying circulation.

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BibTeX Citation

@article{tu06200v,
  author={Turtle, E. P. and Perry, J. E. and McEwen, A. S. and Del Genio, A. D. and Barbara, J. and West, R. A. and Dawson, D. D. and Porco, C. C.},
  title={Cassini imaging of Titan's high-latitude lakes, clouds, and south-polar surface changes},
  year={2009},
  journal={Geophysical Research Letters},
  volume={36},
  pages={L02204},
  doi={10.1029/2008GL036186},
}

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RIS Citation

TY  - JOUR
ID  - tu06200v
AU  - Turtle, E. P.
AU  - Perry, J. E.
AU  - McEwen, A. S.
AU  - Del Genio, A. D.
AU  - Barbara, J.
AU  - West, R. A.
AU  - Dawson, D. D.
AU  - Porco, C. C.
PY  - 2009
TI  - Cassini imaging of Titan's high-latitude lakes, clouds, and south-polar surface changes
JA  - Geophys. Res. Lett.
JO  - Geophysical Research Letters
VL  - 36
SP  - L02204
DO  - 10.1029/2008GL036186
ER  -

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