Planets

Cassini imaging of Titan's high-latitude lakes, clouds, and south-polar surface changes

  1. E. P. Turtle1,
  2. J. E. Perry2,
  3. A. S. McEwen2,
  4. A. D. DelGenio3,
  5. J. Barbara3,
  6. R. A. West4,
  7. D. D. Dawson2,
  8. C. C. Porco5

Article first published online: 29 JAN 2009

DOI: 10.1029/2008GL036186

Issue

Geophysical Research Letters

Geophysical Research Letters

Additional Information

How to Cite

Turtle, E. P., J. E. Perry, A. S. McEwen, A. D. DelGenio, 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.

Author Information

  1. 1

    Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, Maryland, USA

  2. 2

    Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA

  3. 3

    NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, New York, New York, USA

  4. 4

    Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA

  5. 5

    Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colorado, USA

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 29 JAN 2009
  2. Article first published online: 29 JAN 2009
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 10 DEC 2008
  4. Manuscript Revised: 1 DEC 2008
  5. Manuscript Received: 1 OCT 2008

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Keywords:

  • Titan;
  • lakes;
  • clouds;
  • surface;
  • precipitation;
  • meteorology

[1] 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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