%0 Journal Article %1 Sotin2005 %A Sotin, C. %A Jaumann, R. %A Buratti, B. J. %A Brown, R. H. %A Clark, R. N. %A Soderblom, L. A. %A Baines, K. H. %A Bellucci, G. %A Bibring, J. P. %A Capaccioni, F. %A Cerroni, P. %A Combes, M. %A Coradini, A. %A Cruikshank, D. P. %A Drossart, P. %A Formisano, V. %A Langevin, Y. %A Matson, D. L. %A McCord, T. B. %A Nelson, R. M. %A Nicholson, P. D. %A Sicardy, B. %A LeMouelic, S. %A Rodriguez, S. %A Stephan, K. %A Scholz, C. K. %D 2005 %J Nature %K OCEAN SURFACE; %N 7043 %P 786--789 %T Release of volatiles from a possible cryovolcano from near-infrared imaging of Titan %V 435 %X Titan is the only satellite in our Solar System with a dense atmosphere. The surface pressure is 1.5 bar ( ref. 1) and, similar to the Earth, N-2 is the main component of the atmosphere. Methane is the second most important component(2), but it is photodissociated on a timescale of 10(7) years ( ref. 3). This short timescale has led to the suggestion that Titan may possess a surface or subsurface reservoir of hydrocarbons(4,5) to replenish the atmosphere. Here we report near-infrared images of Titan obtained on 26 October 2004 by the Cassini spacecraft. The images show that a widespread methane ocean does not exist; subtle albedo variations instead suggest topographical variations, as would be expected for a more solid ( perhaps icy) surface. We also find a circular structure similar to 30 km in diameter that does not resemble any features seen on other icy satellites. We propose that the structure is a dome formed by upwelling icy plumes that release methane into Titan's atmosphere.

@article{Sotin2005, abstract = {Titan is the only satellite in our Solar System with a dense atmosphere. The surface pressure is 1.5 bar ( ref. 1) and, similar to the Earth, N-2 is the main component of the atmosphere. Methane is the second most important component(2), but it is photodissociated on a timescale of 10(7) years ( ref. 3). This short timescale has led to the suggestion that Titan may possess a surface or subsurface reservoir of hydrocarbons(4,5) to replenish the atmosphere. Here we report near-infrared images of Titan obtained on 26 October 2004 by the Cassini spacecraft. The images show that a widespread methane ocean does not exist; subtle albedo variations instead suggest topographical variations, as would be expected for a more solid ( perhaps icy) surface. We also find a circular structure similar to 30 km in diameter that does not resemble any features seen on other icy satellites. We propose that the structure is a dome formed by upwelling icy plumes that release methane into Titan's atmosphere.}, added-at = {2009-11-03T20:21:25.000+0100}, author = {Sotin, C. and Jaumann, R. and Buratti, B. J. and Brown, R. H. and Clark, R. N. and Soderblom, L. A. and Baines, K. H. and Bellucci, G. and Bibring, J. P. and Capaccioni, F. and Cerroni, P. and Combes, M. and Coradini, A. and Cruikshank, D. P. and Drossart, P. and Formisano, V. and Langevin, Y. and Matson, D. L. and McCord, T. B. and Nelson, R. M. and Nicholson, P. D. and Sicardy, B. and LeMouelic, S. and Rodriguez, S. and Stephan, K. and Scholz, C. K.}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2300914bd4a4ef4a2fe51ce5f30a759cb/svance}, citedreferences = {BROWN RH, 2003, Icarus, V164, P461 ; GIBBARD SG, 2004, GEOPHYS RES LETT, V31 ; KUIPER GP, 1944, ASTORPHYS J, V100, P329 ; LELLOUCH E, 1990, ANN GEOPHYS, V8, P653 ; LUCCHITTA BK, 1980, Icarus, V44, P481 ; LUNINE JI, 1983, Science, V222, P1229 ; LUNINE JI, 1993, REV GEOPHYS, V31, P133 ; MEIER R, 2000, Icarus, V145, P462 ; SOTIN C, 2002, GEOPHYS RES LETT, V29 ; SOTIN C, 2004, CR PHYS, V5, P769 ; YUNG YL, 1984, ASTROPHYS J SUPPL S, V55, P465}, interhash = {7736c3dcd966c8763db1265b33fa8e05}, intrahash = {300914bd4a4ef4a2fe51ce5f30a759cb}, journal = {Nature}, keywords = {OCEAN SURFACE;}, number = 7043, owner = {svance}, pages = {786--789}, timestamp = {2009-11-03T20:22:15.000+0100}, title = {Release of volatiles from a possible cryovolcano from near-infrared imaging of Titan}, volume = 435, year = 2005 }