Evidence for the exposure of water ice on Titan's surface.
The smoggy stratosphere of Saturn's largest moon, Titan, veils its surface from view, except at narrow wavelengths centered at 0.83, 0.94, 1.07, 1.28, 1.58, 2.0, 2.9, and 5.0 micrometers. We derived a spectrum of Titan's surface within these "windows" and detected features characteristic of water ice. Therefore, despite the hundreds of meters of organic liquids and solids hypothesized to exist on Titan's surface, its icy bedrock lies extensively exposed.
Griffith
Caitlin A
CA
Department of Planetary Sciences, University of Arizona, 1629 East University Boulevard, Tucson, AZ 85721-0092, USA. griffith@lpl.arizona.edu
Owen
Tobias
T
Geballe
Thomas R
TR
Rayner
John
J
Rannou
Pascal
P
D001272:Atmosphere; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D005118:Extraterrestrial Environment; D007053:Ice; D008697:Methane; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D018539:Saturn; D014867:Water
D007053:Ice; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D014867:Water; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D008697:Methane