Vertical structure and optical properties of Titan’s aerosols from radiance measurements made inside and outside the atmosphere

Doose, L. R.; Karkoschka, Erich; Tomasko, M. G.; Anderson, C. M.

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2015.09.039

Cited by 56 publications

(90 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…DISR did not observe a significant vertical variation in the monomer size over their measurement range (surface to 140 km) [ Tomasko et al , ]. Below 80 km, the observed change in the wavelength dependence of the optical depth and the single scattering albedo is attributed to the addition of condensate [ Tomasko et al , ; Doose et al , ]. There is also evidence of an increase in the volume extinction coefficient below 55 km [ Doose et al , ].…”

Section: Complex Organic Chemistrymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Below 80 km, the observed change in the wavelength dependence of the optical depth and the single scattering albedo is attributed to the addition of condensate [ Tomasko et al , ; Doose et al , ]. There is also evidence of an increase in the volume extinction coefficient below 55 km [ Doose et al , ]. DISR measurements below 80 km indicate that the aerosols are a combination of photochemically generated hazes and condensed organics [ Tomasko et al , ].…”

Section: Complex Organic Chemistrymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…No optically thick clouds were detected in DISR measurements [ Tomasko et al , ; Doose et al , ]; however, thin layers observed at 7, 11, and 21 km have been attributed to some combination of phase transitions, gas adsorption, and atmospheric mixing, resulting in a particle size increase of 5–10% [ Tomasko et al , ; Tokano et al , ; Karkoschka and Tomasko , ]. The layer at 21 km was also likely detected by HASI/PWA, which detected extremely low‐frequency noise possibly resulting from aerosols impacting the electrodes of the antenna [ Béghin et al , ].…”

Section: Clouds Rain and Titan's Methane Cyclementioning

confidence: 99%

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Titan's atmosphere and climate

2017

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Titan is the only moon with a substantial atmosphere, the only other thick N2 atmosphere besides Earth's, the site of extraordinarily complex atmospheric chemistry that far surpasses any other solar system atmosphere, and the only other solar system body with stable liquid currently on its surface. The connection between Titan's surface and atmosphere is also unique in our solar system; atmospheric chemistry produces materials that are deposited on the surface and subsequently altered by surface‐atmosphere interactions such as aeolian and fluvial processes resulting in the formation of extensive dune fields and expansive lakes and seas. Titan's atmosphere is favorable for organic haze formation, which combined with the presence of some oxygen‐bearing molecules indicates that Titan's atmosphere may produce molecules of prebiotic interest. The combination of organics and liquid, in the form of water in a subsurface ocean and methane/ethane in the surface lakes and seas, means that Titan may be the ideal place in the solar system to test ideas about habitability, prebiotic chemistry, and the ubiquity and diversity of life in the universe. The Cassini‐Huygens mission to the Saturn system has provided a wealth of new information allowing for study of Titan as a complex system. Here I review our current understanding of Titan's atmosphere and climate forged from the powerful combination of Earth‐based observations, remote sensing and in situ spacecraft measurements, laboratory experiments, and models. I conclude with some of our remaining unanswered questions as the incredible era of exploration with Cassini‐Huygens comes to an end.

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Section: Complex Organic Chemistrymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Complex Organic Chemistrymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Clouds Rain and Titan's Methane Cyclementioning

confidence: 99%

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Titan's atmosphere and climate

2017

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“…We based our radiative transfer calculation on the method and model by Doose et al (2015), the revised DISR haze model. It provides the optical depth, single scattering albedo and phase function of the aerosols as function of wavelength and altitude.…”

Section: Altitude Determinationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Our seasonal haze modelHaze parameters fromDoose et al (2015), except: 1) altitudes 0-80 km: multiply haze opacities within this layer by the opacity factor for B1 (cf.Table 5) where B1 is calculated by Eq. 3 from M1, D1, and E1, and these parameters as function of latitude are taken from Fig.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%