The structure and dynamics of Titan's middle atmosphere
Titan's middle atmosphere is characterized by cyclostrophic winds and strong seasonal modulation. Cassini CIRS observations, obtained in northern winter, indicate that the stratosphere near 1 mbar is warmest at low latitudes, with the South Pole a few degrees colder and the North Pole approxima...
Published in: | Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences |
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crroyalsociety:10.1098/rsta.2008.0242 2024-06-23T07:55:24+00:00 The structure and dynamics of Titan's middle atmosphere Flasar, F.M Achterberg, R.K 2008 http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2008.0242 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsta.2008.0242 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full-xml/10.1098/rsta.2008.0242 en eng The Royal Society https://royalsociety.org/journals/ethics-policies/data-sharing-mining/ Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences volume 367, issue 1889, page 649-664 ISSN 1364-503X 1471-2962 journal-article 2008 crroyalsociety https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2008.0242 2024-06-04T06:22:55Z Titan's middle atmosphere is characterized by cyclostrophic winds and strong seasonal modulation. Cassini CIRS observations, obtained in northern winter, indicate that the stratosphere near 1 mbar is warmest at low latitudes, with the South Pole a few degrees colder and the North Pole approximately 20 K colder. Associated with the cold northern temperatures are strong circumpolar winds with speeds as high as 190 m s −1 . Within this vortex, the mixing ratios of several organic gases are enhanced relative to those at low latitudes. Comparison with Voyager thermal infrared measurements, obtained 25 years ago in northern spring, suggests that the enhancement currently observed will increase as the winter progresses. The stratopause height increases from 0.1 mbar near the equator to 0.01 mbar near the North Pole, where it is the warmest part of the atmosphere, greater than 200 K. This implies subsidence at the pole, which is consistent with the enhanced organics observed. Condensate features, several still not identified, are also apparent in the infrared spectra at high northern latitudes. In many ways, the winter vortex observed on Titan, with cyclostrophic winds, resembles the polar winter vortices on the Earth, where the mean winds are geostrophic. Article in Journal/Newspaper North Pole South pole The Royal Society North Pole South Pole Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences 367 1889 649 664 |
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The Royal Society |
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crroyalsociety |
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English |
description |
Titan's middle atmosphere is characterized by cyclostrophic winds and strong seasonal modulation. Cassini CIRS observations, obtained in northern winter, indicate that the stratosphere near 1 mbar is warmest at low latitudes, with the South Pole a few degrees colder and the North Pole approximately 20 K colder. Associated with the cold northern temperatures are strong circumpolar winds with speeds as high as 190 m s −1 . Within this vortex, the mixing ratios of several organic gases are enhanced relative to those at low latitudes. Comparison with Voyager thermal infrared measurements, obtained 25 years ago in northern spring, suggests that the enhancement currently observed will increase as the winter progresses. The stratopause height increases from 0.1 mbar near the equator to 0.01 mbar near the North Pole, where it is the warmest part of the atmosphere, greater than 200 K. This implies subsidence at the pole, which is consistent with the enhanced organics observed. Condensate features, several still not identified, are also apparent in the infrared spectra at high northern latitudes. In many ways, the winter vortex observed on Titan, with cyclostrophic winds, resembles the polar winter vortices on the Earth, where the mean winds are geostrophic. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Flasar, F.M Achterberg, R.K |
spellingShingle |
Flasar, F.M Achterberg, R.K The structure and dynamics of Titan's middle atmosphere |
author_facet |
Flasar, F.M Achterberg, R.K |
author_sort |
Flasar, F.M |
title |
The structure and dynamics of Titan's middle atmosphere |
title_short |
The structure and dynamics of Titan's middle atmosphere |
title_full |
The structure and dynamics of Titan's middle atmosphere |
title_fullStr |
The structure and dynamics of Titan's middle atmosphere |
title_full_unstemmed |
The structure and dynamics of Titan's middle atmosphere |
title_sort |
structure and dynamics of titan's middle atmosphere |
publisher |
The Royal Society |
publishDate |
2008 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2008.0242 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsta.2008.0242 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full-xml/10.1098/rsta.2008.0242 |
geographic |
North Pole South Pole |
geographic_facet |
North Pole South Pole |
genre |
North Pole South pole |
genre_facet |
North Pole South pole |
op_source |
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences volume 367, issue 1889, page 649-664 ISSN 1364-503X 1471-2962 |
op_rights |
https://royalsociety.org/journals/ethics-policies/data-sharing-mining/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2008.0242 |
container_title |
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences |
container_volume |
367 |
container_issue |
1889 |
container_start_page |
649 |
op_container_end_page |
664 |
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1802648003166601216 |