Titan's 5 micrometers spectral window: carbon monoxide and the albedo of the surface

Icarus. 1996 Dec;124(2):625-31. doi: 10.1006/icar.1996.0236.

Abstract

We have measured the spectrum of Titan near 5 micrometers and have found it to be dominated by absorption from the carbon monoxide 1-0 vibration-rotation band. The position of the band edge allows us to constrain the abundance of CO in the atmosphere and/or the location of the reflecting layer in the atmosphere. In the most likely case, 5 micrometers radiation is reflected from the surface and the mole fraction of CO in the atmosphere is qCO=10(+10/-5) ppm, significantly lower than previous estimates for tropospheric CO. The albedo of the reflecting layer is approximately 0.07(+0.02/-0.01) in the 5 micrometers continuum outside the CO band. The 5 micrometers albedo is consistent with a surface of mixed ice and silicates similar to the icy Galilean satellites. Organic solids formed in simulated Titan conditions can also produce similar albedos at 5 micrometers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Astronomical Phenomena
  • Astronomy*
  • Atmosphere / analysis*
  • Carbon Monoxide*
  • Extraterrestrial Environment
  • Photometry
  • Saturn*
  • Spectrum Analysis

Substances

  • Carbon Monoxide