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First Images of Titan at 1.3 Micron with the Adaptive Optics PUEO System at the CFHT

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 March 2016

Athena Coustenis
Affiliation:
DESPA, Obser. de Paris-Meudon, 92195 Meudon, France; Athena.Coustenis@obspm.fr; http://despa.obspm.fr/planeto/
Eric Gendron
Affiliation:
DESPA, Obser. de Paris-Meudon, 92195 Meudon, France; Athena.Coustenis@obspm.fr; http://despa.obspm.fr/planeto/
Oliver Lai
Affiliation:
C. F. H. T., Hawaii
Jean-Pierre Véran
Affiliation:
H.I.A., N.S.C., Canada
Julien Woillez
Affiliation:
DESPA, Obser. de Paris-Meudon, France
Michel Combes
Affiliation:
DESPA, Obser. de Paris-Meudon, France
Thierry Fusco
Affiliation:
ONERA, France
Laurent Mugnier
Affiliation:
ONERA, France

Abstract

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The first images of Titan at 1.3 micron were obtained with the PUEO adaptive optics system at the CFHT, on October 26 1998. We have also obtained images of Titan at 1.6 micron. Our diffraction-limited images (about 10 independent resolution elements or 20 pixels on the disk) pertain to Titan’s leading hemisphere. We have used narrow-band filters centered outside (1.29, 1.6 µm) and in the wings (1.18, 1.64 µm) of the methane bands, so as to be able to subtract the atmospheric contribution from our data. Images of Titan’s surface show the large equatorial region to be bright at both wavelengths. Combined with previous spectroscopic and imaging data, our findings are compatible with the presence of a mountainous plateau, covered with bright ice (perhaps methane), near the equator of Titan and with hydrocarbon deposits in the darker areas.

Type
II. Joint Discussions
Copyright
Copyright © Astronomical Society of Pacific 2002

References

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