Publication Abstracts
West et al. 1983
West, R.A., A.L. Lane, H. Hart, K.E. Simmons, C.W. Hord, D.L. Coffeen, L.W. Esposito,
, and R.B. Ponphrey, 1983: Voyager 2 photopolarimeter observations of Titan. J. Geophys. Res., 88, 8699-8708, doi:10.1029/JA088iA11p08699.Observations of Titan's whole disk polarization at 2460 and 7500 Å are presented and analyzed in terms of model scattering atmospheres. If the Titan aerosols are spherical or nearly spherical, no single combination of refractive index and size distribution is able to fit data at both wavelengths. However, a vertically inhomogeneous distribution suggested by Tomasko and Smith (1980), characterized by a size gradient with altitude, fits the data at 2640 Å moderately well but must be modified at intermediate and large optical depths to fit the 7500-Å data. Results for synthetic phase functions indicate that the single scattering polarization must be 70% or larger in the UV and 78% or larger in the near-IR at 90° phase angle, depending on the phase function. If the correct phase function is similar to that for 0.5-µm-radius spheres, the UV single-scattered polarization must be 84% and the near-IR single-scattered polarization must be over 90%. Such large polarizations are impossible for 0.5-µm-radius spheres but may be possible for nonspherical particles with effective radii near 0.5 µm, although the existence of nonspherical particles with the scattering properties required by these and other observations has not been demonstrated.
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BibTeX Citation
@article{we04000r, author={West, R. A. and Lane, A. L. and Hart, H. and Simmons, K. E. and Hord, C. W. and Coffeen, D. L. and Esposito, L. W. and Sato, M. and Ponphrey, R. B.}, title={Voyager 2 photopolarimeter observations of Titan}, year={1983}, journal={Journal of Geophysical Research}, volume={88}, pages={8699--8708}, doi={10.1029/JA088iA11p08699}, }
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RIS Citation
TY - JOUR ID - we04000r AU - West, R. A. AU - Lane, A. L. AU - Hart, H. AU - Simmons, K. E. AU - Hord, C. W. AU - Coffeen, D. L. AU - Esposito, L. W. AU - Sato, M. AU - Ponphrey, R. B. PY - 1983 TI - Voyager 2 photopolarimeter observations of Titan JA - J. Geophys. Res. JO - Journal of Geophysical Research VL - 88 SP - 8699 EP - 8708 DO - 10.1029/JA088iA11p08699 ER -
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