Speckle Imaging of Titan at 2 microns: Surface Albedo,Haze Optical Depth, and Tropospheric Clouds 1996-1998

Gibbard, S G; Gavel, D; Ghez, A M; de Pater, I; Max, C E; Young, E F; Roe, H G; Macintosh, B A; McKay, C P

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2003.12.026

Title: Speckle Imaging of Titan at 2 microns: Surface Albedo,Haze Optical Depth, and Tropospheric Clouds 1996-1998

Journal Article · Wed Feb 11 00:00:00 EST 2004 · Published in: Icarus, vol. 169, n/a, May 1, 2004, pp. 429-439

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2003.12.026· OSTI ID:15013995

Gibbard, S G; Gavel, D; Ghez, A M; de Pater, I; Max, C E; Young, E F; Roe, H G; Macintosh, B A; McKay, C P

We present results from 14 nights of observations of Titan in 1996-1998 using near-infrared (centered at 2.1 microns) speckle imaging at the 10-meter W.M. Keck Telescope. The observations have a spatial resolution of 0.06 arcseconds. We detect bright clouds on three days in October 1998, with a brightness about 0.5% of the brightness of Titan. Using a 16-stream radiative transfer model (DISORT) to model the central equatorial longitude of each image, we construct a suite of surface albedo models parameterized by the optical depth of Titan's hydrocarbon haze layer. From this we conclude that Titan's equatorial surface albedo has plausible values in the range of 0-0.20. Titan's minimum haze optical depth cannot be constrained from this modeling, but an upper limit of 0.3 at this wavelength range is found. More accurate determination of Titan's surface albedo and haze optical depth, especially at higher latitudes, will require a model that fully considers the 3-dimensional nature of Titan's atmosphere.

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Research Organization:: Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

DOE Contract Number:: W-7405-ENG-48

OSTI ID:: 15013995

Report Number(s):: UCRL-JRNL-202602; TRN: US200803%%1046

Journal Information:: Published in: Icarus, vol. 169, n/a, May 1, 2004, pp. 429-439, Vol. 169

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Title: Speckle Imaging of Titan at 2 microns: Surface Albedo,Haze Optical Depth, and Tropospheric Clouds 1996-1998

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