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[41.05] Characterization of Titan with Keck AO during the time of probe entry

I. de Pater (UC Berkeley), S. Gibbard (LLNL), M. Adamkovics, F. Marchis (UC Berkeley), A. Bouchez (Caltech)

We observed Titan with the Adaptive Optics camera NIRC2 on Keck II at the time of probe entry and during the nights following touch-down. We will show narrow-band images both in `raw' form and after deconvolution at wavelengths between 1 and 2.5 micron. Typical resolution of the images is ~0.04-0.05". These images (at 1.21, 1.29, 1.58, 1.65, 1.68, 2.06, 2.17, 2.13, 2.27, 2.28 micron) probe different altitudes in Titan's atmosphere. We will compare these data with spatially resolved spectra (at R ~ 10,000) taken over the entire disk of Titan at H (1.6 micron) and K' (2.2 micron) bands taken during the same nights. We will specifically address the probe entry data (upper limit to meteor trail), the E-W asymmetry in Titan's atmosphere (viewing angle vs `fog' hypothesis), and the haze distribution in the troposphere/stratosphere.

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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 37 #3
© 2004. The American Astronomical Soceity.