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A. A. Simon-Miller, G. L. Bjoraker (NASA GSFC), G. S. Orton (JPL), R. K. Achterberg (SSAI/NASA GSFC), B. J. Conrath (Cornell), D. E. Jennings (NASA GSFC), Cassini CIRS Team
The Cassini Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) has obtained numerous spectra of Saturn's southern hemisphere on approach to and after the mission's orbit insertion on July 1, 2004. A series of CIRS activities were developed to obtain mid and far-IR compositional measurements for multiple locations on the planet. In particular, the far-IR observations were designed to have very long integration times (30+ contiguous hours, when possible) at CIRS' highest spectral resolution (0.5 cm-1) in order to isolate the spectral signature of oxygen-bearing compounds. Latitudinal variations in such compounds may indicate dynamics and potential source mechanisms, such as rain down of ring particles onto the atmosphere. In addition to these CIRS-designed activities, data were obtained during other Saturn observations,resulting in many hundreds of thousands of spectra at 0.5 and 3.0 cm-1, apodized, spectral resolution. Hydrocarbons and other compounds, including carbon dioxide, identified will be presented, along with abundances and latitudinal gradients where possible.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 36 5
© 2004. The American Astronomical Society.