Publications
Filter Total Items: 338
Carbon dioxide on the satellites of Saturn: Results from the Cassini VIMS investigation and revisions to the VIMS wavelength scale Carbon dioxide on the satellites of Saturn: Results from the Cassini VIMS investigation and revisions to the VIMS wavelength scale
Several of the icy satellites of Saturn show the spectroscopic signature of the asymmetric stretching mode of C-O in carbon dioxide (CO2) at or near the nominal solid-phase laboratory wavelength of 4.2675 ??m (2343.3 cm-1), discovered with the Visible-Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) on the Cassini spacecraft. We report here on an analysis of the variation in wavelength and width of...
Authors
D. P. Cruikshank, A.W. Meyer, R. H. Brown, R. N. Clark, R. Jaumann, K. Stephan, C. A. Hibbitts, S.A. Sandford, R.M.E. Mastrapa, G. Filacchione, C.M.D. Ore, P. D. Nicholson, B. J. Buratti, T. B. McCord, R.M. Nelson, J.B. Dalton, K. H. Baines, D. L. Matson
Mineralogical and chemical characteristics of some natural jarosites Mineralogical and chemical characteristics of some natural jarosites
This paper presents a detailed study of the mineralogical, microscopic, thermal, and spectral characteristics of jarosite and natrojarosite minerals. Systematic mineralogic and chemical examination of a suite of 32 natural stoichiometric jarosite and natrojarosite samples from diverse supergene and hydrothermal environments indicates that there is only limited solid solution between Na...
Authors
George A. Desborough, Kathleen S. Smith, Heather A. Lowers, Gregg A. Swayze, Jane M. Hammarstrom, Sharon F. Diehl, Reinhard W. Leinz, Rhonda L. Driscoll
The architecture of the Cassini division The architecture of the Cassini division
The Cassini Division in Saturn's rings contains a series of eight named gaps, three of which contain dense ringlets. Observations of stellar occultations by the Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer onboard the Cassini spacecraft have yielded 40 accurate and precise measurements of the radial position of the edges of all of these gaps and ringlets. These data reveal suggestive...
Authors
M.M. Hedman, P. D. Nicholson, K. H. Baines, B. J. Buratti, Christophe Sotin, R. N. Clark, R. H. Brown, R.G. French, E.A. Marouf
Dione's spectral and geological properties Dione's spectral and geological properties
We present a detailed analysis of the variations in spectral properties across the surface of Saturn's satellite Dione using Cassini/VIMS data and their relationships to geological and/or morphological characteristics as seen in the Cassini/ISS images. This analysis focuses on a local region on Dione's anti-saturnian hemisphere that was observed by VIMS with high spatial resolution...
Authors
K. Stephan, R. Jaumann, R. Wagner, R. N. Clark, D. P. Cruikshank, C. A. Hibbitts, T. Roatsch, H. Hoffmann, R. H. Brown, G. Filiacchione, B. J. Buratti, G. B. Hansen, T. B. McCord, P. D. Nicholson, K. H. Baines
Latitudinal variations in Titan's methane and haze from Cassini VIMS observations Latitudinal variations in Titan's methane and haze from Cassini VIMS observations
We analyze observations taken with Cassini's Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS), to determine the current methane and haze latitudinal distribution between 60??S and 40??N. The methane variation was measured primarily from its absorption band at 0.61 ??m, which is optically thin enough to be sensitive to the methane abundance at 20-50 km altitude. Haze characteristics were...
Authors
P.F. Penteado, C.A. Griffith, M.G. Tomasko, S. Engel, C. See, L. Doose, K. H. Baines, R. H. Brown, B. J. Buratti, R. Clark, P. Nicholson, Christophe Sotin
Questa baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation, 7. A pictorial record of chemical weathering, erosional processes, and potential debris-flow hazards in scar areas developed on hydrothermally altered rocks Questa baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation, 7. A pictorial record of chemical weathering, erosional processes, and potential debris-flow hazards in scar areas developed on hydrothermally altered rocks
Erosional scar areas developed along the lower Red River basin, New Mexico, reveal a complex natural history of mineralizing processes, rapid chemical weathering, and intense physical erosion during periodic outbursts of destructive, storm-induced runoff events. The scar areas are prominent erosional features with craggy headwalls and steep, denuded slopes. The largest scar areas...
Authors
Geoffrey S. Plumlee, Steve Ludington, Kirk R. Vincent, Philip L. Verplanck, Jonathan S. Caine, K. Eric Livo
Sample collection of ash and burned soils from the October 2007 southern California Wildfires Sample collection of ash and burned soils from the October 2007 southern California Wildfires
Between November 2 through 9, 2007 scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected samples of ash and burned soils from 28 sites in six areas burned as a result of the Southern California wildfires of October 2007, including the Harris, Witch, Santiago, Ammo, Canyon, and Grass Valley Fires. The primary goal of this sampling and analysis effort was to understand how...
Authors
Todd M. Hoefen, Raymond F. Kokaly, Deborah A. Martin, Carlton J. Rochester, Geoffrey S. Plumlee, Greg Mendez, Eric G. Reichard, Robert N. Fisher
Inorganic chemical composition and chemical reactivity of settled dust generated by the World Trade Center building collapse Inorganic chemical composition and chemical reactivity of settled dust generated by the World Trade Center building collapse
Samples of dust deposited around lower Manhattan by the September 11, 2001, World Trade Center (WTC) collapse have inorganic chemical compositions that result in part from the variable chemical contributions of concrete, gypsum wallboard, glass fibers, window glass, and other materials contained in the buildings. The dust deposits were also modified chemically by variable interactions...
Authors
Geoffrey S. Plumlee, Philip L. Hageman, Paul J. Lamothe, Thomas L. Ziegler, Gregory P. Meeker, Peter M. Theodorakos, Isabelle Brownfield, Monique G. Adams, Gregg A. Swayze, Todd M. Hoefen, Joseph E. Taggart, Roger N. Clark, S. Wilson, Stephen J. Sutley
Materials characterization of dusts generated by the collapse of the World Trade Center Materials characterization of dusts generated by the collapse of the World Trade Center
The major inorganic components of the dusts generated from the collapse of the World Trade Center buildings on September 11, 2001 were concrete materials, gypsum, and man-made vitreous fibers. These components were likely derived from lightweight Portland cement concrete floors, gypsum wallboard, and spray-on fireproofing and ceiling tiles, respectively. All of the 36 samples collected...
Authors
Gregory P. Meeker, Stephen J. Sutley, Isabelle Brownfield, Heather Lowers, Amy M. Bern, Gregg A. Swayze, Todd M. Hoefen, Geoffrey S. Plumlee, Roger N. Clark, Carol A. Gent
Environmental mapping of the World Trade Center area with imaging spectroscopy after the September 11, 2001 attack Environmental mapping of the World Trade Center area with imaging spectroscopy after the September 11, 2001 attack
The Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) was flown over the World Trade Center area on September 16, 18, 22, and 23, 2001. The data were used to map the WTC debris plume and its contents, including the spectral signatures of asbestiform minerals. Samples were collected and used as ground truth for the AVARIS mapping. A number of thermal hot spots were observed with...
Authors
Roger N. Clark, Gregg A. Swayze, Todd M. Hoefen, Robert O. Green, Keith E. Livo, Gregory P. Meeker, Stephen J. Sutley, Geoffrey S. Plumlee, Betina Pavri, Charles M. Sarture, Joe Boardman, Isabelle Brownfield, Laurie C. Morath
Photometric changes on Saturn's Titan: Evidence for active cryovolcanism Photometric changes on Saturn's Titan: Evidence for active cryovolcanism
We report infrared spectrophotometric variability on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan detected in images returned by the Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) onboard the Cassini Saturn Orbiter. The changes were observed at 7°S, 138°W and occurred between October 27, 2005 and January 15, 2006. After that date the surface was unchanged until the most recent observation, March...
Authors
Robert M. Nelson, Lucas W. Kamp, Rosaly Lopes, Dennis L. Matson, Randolph L. Kirk, Bruce W. Hapke, Stephen D. Wall, Mark D. Boryta, Frank E. Leader, William D. Smythe, Karl L. Mitchell, Kevin H. Baines, Ralf Jaumann, Christophe Sotin, Roger N. Clark, Dale P. Cruikshank, Pierre Drossart, Jonathan I. Lunine, Michel Combes, Giancarlo Bellucci, Jean-Pierre Bibring, Fabrizio Capaccioni, Pricilla Cerroni, Angioletta Coradini, Vittorio Formisano, Gianrico Filacchione, Yves Langevin, Thomas B. McCord, Vito Mennella, Philip D. Nicholson, Bruno Sicardy, Patrick G.J. Irwin, John C. Pearl
Global circulation as the main source of cloud activity on Titan Global circulation as the main source of cloud activity on Titan
Clouds on Titan result from the condensation of methane and ethane and, as on other planets, are primarily structured by circulation of the atmosphere. At present, cloud activity mainly occurs in the southern (summer) hemisphere, arising near the pole and at mid-latitudes from cumulus updrafts triggered by surface heating and/or local methane sources, and at the north (winter) pole...
Authors
S. Rodriguez, Stéphane Le Mouélic, P. Rannou, G. Tobie, K. H. Baines, J. W. Barnes, C.A. Griffith, M. Hirtzig, K.M. Pitman, Christophe Sotin, R. H. Brown, B. J. Buratti, R. N. Clark, P. D. Nicholson