UVIS Input to Cassini
Quarterly Report
L.W. Esposito
October 24, 2005
UVIS Accomplishments
• Science Highlights
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Discovered a water plume on Enceladus, measured water abundance, estimated total
source, which is enough to resupply Saturn's E-ring and oxygen torus.
Measured the physical characteristics of self-gravity wakes in Saturn's A-ring, through
comparison of multiple star occultations by Saturn's rings. These clumps are flat and dense,
separated by large distances, and so small as to be invisible to Cassini's cameras.
UVIS star occultation shows Enceladus plume
shows ephemeral self-gravity wakes
UVIS observes Saturn’s aurora
UVIS Accomplishments (Continued)
• Publications
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August — October 2005: 0 scientific publications
2005 to date: 8
Entire mission: 14
In Press: 4
UVIS Accomplishments (Continued)
• Science Talks - August — October 2005
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3 Science Seminars
10 Presentations at Scientific Meetings
UVIS Accomplishments (Continued)
• Public Outreach
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Press releases
• 1 August—October 2005
• 7 2005 YTD
Press conferences
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1 August—October 2005 Enceladus Press conference in London: Candice Hansen
1 2005 YTD
Talks to school children, teachers and public
• 2 August—October 2005
• 5 2005 YTD
UVIS Plans (Nov. 2005—Jan. 2006)
• Upcoming Science Activities
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Solar occultation by Titan’s atmosphere
Longitudinal coverage of icy satellites
• Publications and EPO in work
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2 papers submitted to journals
Community talk with Larry Esposito and Carolyn Porco at CU in December - “Cassini Views
the Saturn System”
Cassini Mission to be Explored at Fiske Planetarium - Josh Colwell in October
• Upcoming Science Events
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AGU - December
UVIS Team Meeting - January
Backup Material
UVIS October 24, 2005
UVIS Publications: Published 2005
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Esposito, L.W., J. E. Colwell, K. Larsen, W. E. McClintock, A. I. F. Stewart, J. Tew Hallett, D. E.
Shemansky, J. M. Ajello, C. J. Hansen, A. R. Hendrix, R. A. West, H. U. Keller, A. Korth, W. R.
Pryor, R. Reulke, Y. L. Yung. (2005). Ultra-Violet Imaging Spectroscopy shows an active
Saturn system. Science. 307, 1251-1255. LASP reprint 1000.
Hallett, J. T., D. E. Shemansky, X. Liu. (2005a). A Rotational-Level Hydrogen Physical
Chemistry Model for General Astrophysical Application. ApJ. 624, 448-461.
Hallett, J. T., D. E. Shemansky, X. Liu. (2005b). Fine-Structure Physical Chemistry Modeling of
Uranus H2 X Quadrupole Emission. GRL. 32, L02204.
Shemansky, D.E., A.I.F. Stewart, R.A. West, L.W. Esposito, J.T. Hallet, X. Liu. (2005) The
Cassini UVIS stellar probe of the Titan atmosphere. Science. 308, 978-982.
Steffl, A. J., P.A. Delamere, F. Bagenal. Cassini UVIS Observations of the Io Plasma Torus. III.
Temporal and Azimuthal Variability. Submitted to Icarus March, 2005.
Hallett, J.T, X. Liu, D.E. Shemansky, A Rotational-Level Hydrogen Physical Chemistry Model
for General Astrophysical Application (published in ApJ 2005)
Hallett, J.T., X. Liu, D.E. Shemansky. Fine-Structure Physical Chemistry Modeling of Uranus
H2 X Quadrupole Emissions (published in GRL 2005)
Hansen, C.J., A.R. Hendrix, D.E. Shemansky. Cassini UVIS Observations of Europa's Oxygen
Atmosphere and Torus, (submitted to Icarus April 17, 2004, revision submitted 2/4/05)
UVIS Publications: Submitted 2005
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Ajello, J.M., J. T. Clarke, L.W. Esposito, J. –C Gérard, D. Grodent, J. Gustin, W.E. McClintock,
W.R. Pryor, A.I.F. Stewart.The Cassini Campaign Observations of the Jupiter Aurora by the
Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph and the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph. Icarus,
accepted July 2005.
Liu, X., D. E. Shemansky. Analysis of electron impact ionization properties of methane, JGR,
In review
Hansen, C., J. Colwell, L.W. Esposito, A.R. Hendrix, W. Pryor, D. E. Shemansky, A.I.F. Stewart,
R.A. West. Cassini UltraViolet Imagaing Spectrograph (UVIS) Investigation of Enceladus’
Water Vapor Plume. Science, Submitted in October
Colwell, J.E., L.W. Esposito, M. Sremcevic, Gravitational Wakes in Saturn’s A Ring Measured
by Stellar Occultations from Cassini. Nature, Submitted in October.
UVIS Science Presentations: 2005
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Seminars
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Linear and Non-linear processes in Saturn's Rings, Potsdam University - July
UCLA: History of Saturn's Rings, UCLA - October
Linear and Non-linear processes in Saturn's Rings, University of Arizona - October
Science Talks
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6: DPS
1: MOP
2: PSG London
1: Crete meeting on Titan
UVIS Outreach: 2005
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Alumni Talk at CU in Jan. - Larry Esposito
Live Broadcast of Huygens in Jan. at CU - Various team members
Wireless Grid project with Boston Museum of Science in July - Larry Esposito
CHARM presentation in August - Larry Esposito
Executive Development Program in October at CU - Joshua Colwell