NSF Award
1518226
The goal of this program is to use multiple views of the same surface area on Titan to study its atmosphere. It will allow scientists to determine the three dimensional distribution of methane in Titan's lower atmopshere for the first time. Broader impacts of the work include potential relevance to climate and atmospheric circulation patterns on Earth, and involvement of undergraduates in STEM research.<br/><br/>Titan will be imaged by the Keck Observatory, the Hubble Space Telescope, & VIMS (Visible-Infrared Imaging Spectrometer, an instrument on the Cassini spacecraft) to determine the 3-D distribution of methane and hazes in the lower atmosphere. This research will significantly enhance our understanding of aerosols on Titan, enable the search for spatial variation in CH4 in the lowest scale height of the atmosphere, and permit the search for absorption features on Titan's surface.
