Near-infrared spectral mapping of Titan's mountains and channels

Jason W. Barnes; Jani Radebaugh; Robert H. Brown; Steve Wall; Laurence A. Soderblom; Jonathan I. Lunine; Devon M. Burr; Christophe Sotin; Stephane Le Mouelic; Sebastien Rodriguez; Bonnie J. Buratti; Roger N. Clark; Kevin H. Baines; Ralf Jaumann; Philip D. Nicholson; Randolph L. Kirk; Rosaly Lopes; Ralph D. Lorenz; Ken Mitchell; Charles A. Wood

doi:10.1029/2007JE002932

Near-infrared spectral mapping of Titan's mountains and channels

Journal of Geophysical Research E: Planets

By: Jason W. Barnes, Jani Radebaugh, Robert H. Brown, Steve Wall, Laurence A. Soderblom, Jonathan I. Lunine, Devon M. Burr, Christophe Sotin, Stephane Le Mouelic, Sebastien Rodriguez, Bonnie J. Buratti, Roger N. Clark, Kevin H. Baines, Ralf Jaumann, Philip D. Nicholson, Randolph L. Kirk, Rosaly Lopes, Ralph D. Lorenz, Ken Mitchell, and Charles A. Wood

https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JE002932

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Abstract

We investigate the spectral reflectance properties of channels and mountain ranges on Titan using data from Cassini's Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) obtained during the T9 encounter (26 December 2005). We identify the location of channels and mountains using synthetic aperture radar maps obtained from Cassini's RADAR instrument during the T13 (30 April 2006) flyby. Channels are evident even in VIMS imaging with spatial resolution coarser than the channel size. The channels share spectral characteristics with Titan's dark blue terrain (e.g., the Huygens landing site) that is consistent with an enhancement in water ice content relative to the rest of Titan. We use this fact to measure widths of ???1 km for the largest channels. Comparison of the data sets shows that in our study area within the equatorial bright spectral unit east of Xanadu, mountains are darker and bluer than surrounding smooth terrain. These results are consistent with the equatorial bright terrain possessing a veneer of material that is thinner in the regions where there are mountains and streambeds that have likely undergone more recent and extensive erosion. We suggest a model for the geographic relationship of the dark blue, dark brown, and equatorial bright spectral units based on our findings.

Additional publication details
Publication type	Article
Publication Subtype	Journal Article
Title	Near-infrared spectral mapping of Titan's mountains and channels
Series title	Journal of Geophysical Research E: Planets
DOI	10.1029/2007JE002932
Volume	112
Issue	E11
Year Published	2007
Language	English
Publisher	American Geophysical Union
Publisher location	Washington, D.C.
Contributing office(s)	Astrogeology Science Center
Description	13 p.
Larger Work Type	Article
Larger Work Subtype	Journal Article
Larger Work Title	Journal of Geophysical Research E: Planets
Other Geospatial	Titan
Google Analytic Metrics	Metrics page