Beschreibung: Publication date: April 2015 Source: Icarus, Volume 250 Author(s): Sandrine Vinatier , Bruno Bézard , Sébastien Lebonnois , Nick A. Teanby , Richard K. Achterberg , Nicolas Gorius , Andrei Mamoutkine , Ever Guandique , Antoine Jolly , Donalds E. Jennings , F. Michael Flasar We analyzed spectra acquired at the limb of Titan in the 2006–2013 period by the Cassini/Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) in order to monitor the seasonal evolution of the thermal, gas composition and aerosol spatial distributions. We are primarily interested here in the seasonal changes after the northern spring equinox and interpret our results in term of global circulation seasonal changes. Data cover the 600–1500 cm −1 spectral range at a resolution of 0.5 or 15.5 cm −1 and probe the 150–500 km vertical range with a vertical resolution of about 30 km. Retrievals of the limb spectra acquired at 15.5 cm −1 resolution allowed us to derive eight global maps of temperature, aerosols and C 2 H 2 , C 2 H 6 and HCN molecular mixing ratios between July 2009 and May 2013. In order to have a better understanding of the global changes taking place after the northern spring equinox, we analyzed 0.5 cm −1 resolution limb spectra to infer the mixing ratio profiles of 10 molecules for some latitudes. These profiles are compared with CIRS observations performed during the northern winter. Our observations are compatible with the coexistence of two circulation cells upwelling at mid-latitudes and downwelling at both poles from at last January 2010 to at least June 2010. One year later, in June 2011, there are indications that the global circulation had reversed compared to the winter situation, with a single pole-to-pole cell upwelling at the north pole and downwelling at the south pole. Our observations show that in December 2011, this new pole-to-pole cell has settled with a downward velocity of 4.4 mm/s at 450 km above the south pole. Therefore, in about two years after the equinox, the global circulation observed during the northern winter has totally reversed, which is in agreement with the predictions of general circulation models. We observe a sudden unexpected temperature decrease above the south pole in February 2012, which is probably related to the strong enhancement of molecular gas in this region, acting as radiative coolers. In July and November 2012, we observe a detached haze layer located around 320–330 km, which is comparable to the altitude of the detached haze layer observed by the Cassini Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS) in the UV.

Beschreibung: Publication date: April 2015 Source: Icarus, Volume 250 Author(s): Dominika D. Dabrowska , Olga Muñoz , Fernando Moreno , José L. Ramos , Jesús Martínez-Frías , Gerhard Wurm We present measurements of the complete scattering matrix as a function of the scattering angle of five martian dust analogs, namely montmorillonite, two palagonite (JSC-1) samples, basalt, and calcite. The measurements are performed at 488 and 647 nm, covering the scattering angle range from 3° to 177°. The experimental scattering matrices are compared with results of Lorenz–Mie calculations performed for the same size distributions and refractive indices as our analog samples. As expected, we find that scattering matrices of realistic polydispersions of dust particles cannot be replaced by such calculated matrices. In contrast, the measured phase functions for our martian dust analogs may be considered a good approximation for martian dust at the studied wavelengths. Further, because of the sensitivity of polarimetry to particle microphysics, spectro-polarimetric observations from the martian surface appear to be a powerful diagnostic tool to infer the composition of the dust in the martian atmosphere. To facilitate the use of the experimental matrices for multiple-scattering calculations with polarization included, we compute the corresponding synthetic scattering matrices based on the measurements and defined in the full angle range from 0° to 180°.

Beschreibung: Publication date: April 2015 Source: Icarus, Volume 250 Author(s): A.S. Dudaryonok , N.N. Lavrentieva , J.V. Buldyreva Theoretical self-broadening coefficients and associated temperature dependences for methyl cyanide lines in parallel (Δ K = 0) bands are reported for large ranges of rotational quantum numbers (0 ⩽ J ⩽ 70, K ⩽ 20) requested by spectroscopic databases. The calculations are performed by a semi-empirical method, particularly suitable for active molecules with large dipole moments, which needs only a few experimental data for model parameters fitting. Since the common power law for the temperature-dependence exponents is invalid for wide temperature ranges, two separate sets of temperature exponents are provided for Earth and Titan atmospheres applications.

Beschreibung: Publication date: April 2015 Source: Icarus, Volume 250 Author(s): Sugata P. Tan , Jeffrey S. Kargel , Donald E. Jennings , Marco Mastrogiuseppe , Hertanto Adidharma , Giles M. Marion Based on a validated model for cryogenic chemical systems, referred to as CRYOCHEM (“Cryogenic Chemistry Model”), surface liquids on Titan are shown to exhibit exotic behavior of density increase with temperature but decrease with pressure, unless the temperature falls below 89.8 K. It is also the case for the atmospheric liquid condensates below an altitude where the liquid density is minimum. The exotic behavior is of compositional origin, which does not have an analog in the atmosphere and liquid water on Earth. As the latitudinal and seasonal variations of surface temperature are known, it is possible to map out the global liquid and vapor density variations as well as the equilibrium phase compositions, which will be useful as inputs for atmospheric general circulation models (GCMs) and investigations of Titan’s methane-equivalent of Earth’s hydrological cycle, local subsurface alkanology (equivalent to hydrology on Earth), lake convection, and clastic and chemical sedimentation in the lakes. Further, the density variations can be used to derive a general idea about global fluid circulation in the upper crust based on averaged conditions on Titan. The surface liquid should tend to flow toward the hottest spot on Titan and a return flow occurs beneath the surface, thus providing analogies with thermohaline circulation in Earth’s oceans. The vapor phase, on the other hand, has ordinary properties that make the global atmospheric circulation similar to the Hadley cell on Earth, but Titan’s cycle reaches the polar regions. The calculated compositions of surface liquids are more methane-rich than other models indicated, thus qualitatively in the right direction to satisfy polar-lake compositions deduced from loss tangents. However, quantitatively there remains a need to find yet more accurate liquid compositions and an optimum equilibrium within constraints of the atmospheric measurements.

Beschreibung: Publication date: April 2015 Source: Icarus, Volume 250 Author(s): Toshimori Sekine , Tomoaki Kimura , Takamichi Kobayashi , Tsutomu Mashimo Impact-induced dehydration of serpentine in primitive meteorites is believed to be a mechanism to provide water in terrestrial planets. Primitive meteorites show a wide range of porosity and it is necessary to know the effect of porosity on the dehydration. In this work we report the dynamic dehydration reaction in powdered samples of antigorite by shock recovery experiments, in which recovered samples were investigated using techniques of X-ray diffractions, electron microscopy, and thermal analyses of shock recovered samples. The present experimental results indicate that the dehydration reaction is weakly pressure-dependent below a peak shock pressure of ∼21 GPa and becomes violent at pressures of 21–60 GPa. The kinetics was found to be dependent on not only peak shock pressure but also the initial porosity and sample amount. We discuss the heterogeneous dehydration reactions based on the phases identified in the recovered samples, more than previously thought.

Beschreibung: Publication date: April 2015 Source: Icarus, Volume 250 Author(s): Nirmala Jain , Prakash Chauhan Spectral reflectance data from the MRO-CRISM (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter-Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars) of Capri Chasma, a large canyon within Valles Marineris on Mars, have been studied. Results of this analysis reveal the presence of minerals, such as, phyllosilicates (illite, smectite (montmorillonite)) and carbonates (ankerite and manganocalcite). These minerals hint of the aqueous history of Noachian time on Mars. Phyllosilicates are products of chemical weathering of igneous rocks, whereas carbonates could have formed from local aqueous alteration of olivine and other igneous minerals. Four different locations within the Capri Chasma region were studied for spectral reflectance based mineral detection. The study area also shows the spectral signatures of iron-bearing minerals, e.g. olivine with carbonate, indicating partial weathering of parent rocks primarily rich in ferrous mineral. The present study shows that the minerals of Capri Chasma are characterized by the presence of prominent spectral absorption features at 2.31 μm, 2.33 μm, 2.22 μm, 2.48 μm and 2.52 μm wavelength regions, indicating the existence of hydrous minerals, i.e., carbonates and phyllosilicates. The occurrence of carbonates and phyllosilicates in the study area suggests the presence of alkaline environment during the period of their formation. Results of the study are important to understand the formation processes of these mineral assemblages on Mars, which may help in understanding the evolutionary history of the planet.

Beschreibung: Publication date: April 2015 Source: Icarus, Volume 250 Author(s): Kathleen E. Scanlon , James W. Head , David R. Marchant The tropical mountain glacial fan-shaped deposit (FSD) to the northwest of the Arsia Mons volcano on Mars contains numerous glacial and volcanic landforms. While most of the glacial landforms are interpreted to have formed by cold-based glacial processes, several glacial landforms near glaciovolcanic edifices are more consistent with localized wet-based glacial processes. These landforms include ribbed moraines , which suggest local, thermal transitions between wet- and cold-based ice; thrust-block moraines , whose formation is typically assisted by the presence of subglacial water; streamlined knobs that we interpret to have been sculpted by ice sliding along its base; and a braided outflow channel . The presence and association of these features, together with evidence of both subglacial volcanic eruptions and local ice-marginal advances, favor polythermal glaciers with localized wet-based conditions. We propose that lava-to-ice heat transfer during the eruption of the glaciovolcanic edifices caused the Arsia Mons paleoglacier to melt at its base in some areas, resulting in these locally wet-based glacial conditions. A polythermal glacier provides more potential microbial habitats and more connectivity between habitats than does a cold-based glacier, and we review glacial and glaciovolcanic habitats on Earth that may provide insight into the likelihood of potential microbial habitats within the Arsia Mons FSD on Mars.

Beschreibung: Publication date: April 2015 Source: Icarus, Volume 250 Author(s): B.J. Travis , G. Schubert Despite its small size, Enceladus emits considerable heat, especially at its south pole, even long after simple thermal models predict it should be frozen. Several sources of energy have been proposed as responsible for this heating, such as tidal dissipative heating (TDH), convection and shearing in the ice shell, and exothermic chemical reactions (e.g., serpentine formation). Crater relaxation simulations suggest that episodic heating events have occurred over long stretches of Enceladus’ history. Thermal history and hydrothermal simulations reported here show that a combination of steady plus episodic TDH heating could maintain at least a polar ocean to the present time. Hydrothermal circulation can play a significant role in mining Enceladus’ internal heat, facilitating the persistence of an ocean even to the present by focusing internal heat to the polar regions.

Beschreibung: Publication date: April 2015 Source: Icarus, Volume 250 Author(s): Thiago Statella , Pedro Pina , Erivaldo Antônio da Silva We have developed a method to compute the albedo contrast between dust devil tracks and their surrounding regions on Mars. It is mainly based on Mathematical Morphology operators and uses all the points of the edges of the tracks to compute the values of the albedo contrast. It permits the extraction of more accurate and complete information, when compared to traditional point sampling, not only providing better statistics but also permitting the analysis of local variations along the entirety of the tracks. This measure of contrast, based on relative quantities, is much more adequate to establish comparisons at regional scales and in multi-temporal basis using imagery acquired in rather different environmental and operational conditions. Also, the substantial increase in the details extracted may permit quantifying differential depositions of dust by computing local temporal fading of the tracks with consequences on a better estimation of the thickness of the top most layer of dust and the minimum value needed to create dust devils tracks. The developed tool is tested on 110 HiRISE images depicting regions in the Aeolis, Argyre, Eridania, Noachis and Hellas quadrangles. As a complementary evaluation, we also performed a temporal analysis of the albedo in a region of Russell crater, where high seasonal dust devil activity was already observed before, comprising the years 2007–2012. The mean albedo of the Russell crater is in this case indicative of dust devil tracks presence and, therefore, can be used to quantify dust devil activity.

Beschreibung: Publication date: 1 March 2015 Source: Icarus, Volume 248 Author(s): Jeffrey R. Johnson , William M. Grundy , Mark T. Lemmon , James F. Bell III , R.G. Deen The Panoramic Camera (Pancam) on the Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity acquired visible/near-infrared (432–1009 nm) multispectral observations of soils and rocks under varying viewing and illumination geometries. Data retrieved from these images were modeled using radiative transfer theory to study the microphysical and surface scattering nature of materials at both sites. Nearly 57,000 individual measurements from 1900 images were collected of rock and soil units identified by their color and morphologic properties over a wide range of phase angles (0–150°). Images were acquired between Sols 500 and 1525 in the Columbia Hills and regions around Home Plate in Gusev Crater and in the plains and craters between Erebus and Victoria Craters in Meridiani Planum. Corrections for diffuse skylight incorporated sky models based on observations of atmospheric opacity throughout the mission. Disparity maps created from Pancam stereo images allowed estimates of local facet orientations. For Spirit, soils at lower elevations near Home Plate were modeled with lower single scattering albedo ( w ) values than those on the summit of Husband Hill, but otherwise soils exhibited similar scattering properties to previous Gusev soils. Dark ripple sands at the El Dorado dunes were among the most forward-scattering materials modeled. Silica-rich soils and nodules near Home Plate were analyzed for the first time, and exhibited increased forward scattering behavior with increasing wavelength, consistent with microporosity inferred from previous high resolution images and thermal infrared spectroscopy. For Opportunity, the opposition effect width parameter for sandstone outcrop rocks was modeled for the first time, and demonstrated average values consistent with surfaces of intermediate porosity and/or grain size distribution between those modeled for spherule-rich soils and darker, clast-poor soils. Soils outside a wind streak emanating from the northern rim of Victoria Crater exhibited w values ∼16% higher than soils inside the streak. Overall, w values and scattering properties for outcrop rocks, spherule-rich soils, and rover tracks were similar to previous Meridiani Planum analyses, emphasizing the homogeneity of these materials across nearly 12 km of rover odometry.