UVIS Input to Cassini
Quarterly Report
L.W. Esposito
January 18, 2006
(For Nov. 2005-Jan 2006)
UVIS Accomplishments
• Science Highlights
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Detection of small (15-micron) particles in Saturn’s F Ring
Dione, Tethys and Rhea imaged in UV light during Cassini flybys
UVIS observations of He 584 A resonance line show the polar region of Jupiter to be more
turbulent than the equatorial region
Dione: October, 2005
Dione imaged in UV light during the Cassini flyby. North is up and the terminator is close to the edge of the disk in the
north. Brightness variations across the surface are apparent.
Saturn’s rings, viewed edge-on, are visible below the moon.
Tethys: September 24, 2005
Red=1216Å (interplanetary hydrogen); blue/green=reflected solar light at longer FUV wavelengths. Saturn’s icy
moons are darker than the surrounding environment at short wavelengths (e.g., 1216 Å) but are very bright and
reflective at the longer wavelengths, due to their water ice-rich surfaces.
Rhea: November 26, 2005
Rhea imaged in UV light during the Cassini flyby. Brightness variations across the surface are apparent. In particular,
abright crater appears at the edge of the disk on the right side.Saturn’s rings, viewed edge-on, are visible below
the moon.
UVIS Accomplishments (Continued)
• Scientific Publications
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Published November 2005 - January 2006:
2005 to date:
Entire mission:
3 (Ajello, Pryor, Yung [Laing])
9
15
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Submitted November 2005 - January 2006:
Submitted and in process in 2005
3 (Colwell, Yung [2])
6
UVIS Accomplishments (Continued)
• Science Presentations - November 2005 — January 2006
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2 Science Seminars
9 Presentations at Scientific Meetings
UVIS Accomplishments (Continued)
• Public Outreach
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Press releases
• 1 November 2005 - January 2006
• 8 2005 YTD
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Press conferences
• 0 November 2005 - January 2006
• 1 2005 YTD
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Talks to school children, teachers and public
• 2 November 2005 - January 2006
• 7 2005 YTD
UVIS Plans (February - April 2006)
• Upcoming Science Activities (for next quarter)
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T10 Solar occultation by Titan
• Publications in the works this quarter
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1 paper submitted to journals
• EPO in the works (for next quarter)
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UVIS observations of Enceladus' Water Vapor Plume seminar, Cal Tech, February 21 (Yuk
Yung's group)
Cassini UVIS Observations of Saturn’s Icy Moons, UC Santa Cruz, Center for Origin,
Dynamics and Evolution of Planets, Feb 24 (Hendrix)
Cassini UVIS Observations of Saturn’s Icy Moons, Cal Tech, March 7 (Yuk Yung’s group)
• Upcoming Science Events (for next quarter)
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Icy Satellite Workshop, JPL, January 30-31 - (Hendrix and Hansen)
Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC), Houston, March (Hendrix and Hansen)
EGU - Vienna, April 2-7 (Esposito and Sremcevic)
Backup Material
UVIS January 18, 2006
UVIS Publications: Published 2005
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Ajello, J., W. Pryor, L. Esposito, I. Stewart, W. McClintock, J. Gustin, D. Grodent, J. –C Gérard and J. Clarke, “The
Cassini Campaign Observations of the Jupiter Aurora by the Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph and the
Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph”, Icarus, 178, 327 (2005)
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.
Hansen, C.J., A.R. Hendrix, D.E. Shemansky. Cassini UVIS Observations of Europa's Oxygen Atmosphere
and Torus, Icarus 176, 305–315 (2005)
Liang, M. C., R. L. Shia, A. Y. T. Lee, M. Allen, A. J. Friedson, and Y. L. Yung (2005), Meridional Transport in the
Stratosphere of Jupiter. Astrophys. J. Lett., 635:L177-L180.
Pryor, W. R., A. I. F. Stewart, L. W. Esposito, D. E. Shemansky, J. M. Ajello, R. A. West, A. J. Jouchoux, C. J.
Hansen, W. E. McClintock, J. E. Colwell, B. T. Tsurutani, N. Krupp, F. J. Crary, D. T. Young, W. S. Kurth, D. A.
Gurnett, M. Dougherty, J. T. Clarke, J. H. Waite, Jr., and D. Grodent. Cassini UVIS observations of Jupiter's
auroral variability, Icarus 178,312-326, (2005).
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.(2006) Cassini UVIS Observations of the Io Plasma Torus. III.
Temporal and Azimuthal Variability. Icarus. 180, Issue 1, 124-140
UVIS Publications: Submitted 2005
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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. 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.
Colwell, J.E., L.W. Esposito, M. Sremcevic, Self-Gravity Wakes in Saturn’s A Ring Measured
by Stellar Occultations from Cassini. GRL, In review.
Parkinson, C. D., J. C. McConnell, L. Ben Jaffe, A. Y. T. Lee, Y. L. Yung, and E. Griffioen (2006).
Deuterium Chemistry and Airglow in the Jovian Thermosphere. Icarus: In Press.
Parkinson, C. D., A. S. Wong, A. I. F. Stewart, and Y. L. Yung. (2006). Enhanced Transport in the
Polar Mesosphere of Jupiter: Evidence from Cassini UVIS Helium 584 A Airglow. J.
Geophys. Res.: In Press.
UVIS Science Presentations:
November 2005 - January 2006
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Seminars
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Mysteries beneath the Clouds of Saturn's Moon, Titan, CSU Los Angeles, Physics and
Astronomy Department, January 19.” (Hansen)
Unravelling the Twists and Turns of Saturn’s Rings, University of Central Florida, Jan 9.
(Colwell)
Science Talks
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6: AGU - December 5-9 (Esposito, Colwell, Hendrix, Hansen, Shemansky, Yung, Pryor)
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3: PSG - January 23-27 (planned: Colwell, Esposito, Shemansky)
UVIS Outreach: 2005
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Press Releases
– Article published in Science News, November 19
Press Conferences
– Enceledus press conference in London (Hansen)
Talks to School teachers Children and Public
– Alumni Talk at CU in Jan. (Esposito)
– Live Broadcast of Huygens in Jan. at CU (Various team members)
– Wireless Grid project with Boston Museum of Science in July (Esposito)
– CHARM presentation in August (Esposito)
– Executive Development Program in October at CU (Colwell)
– Community talk with Larry Esposito and Carolyn Porco in December - “Cassini Views the Saturn System”
– Public Talk on Cassini results at the Central Arizona College Observatory, December 2 (Pryor)