Titan from Many Angles: 3D Mapping of Titan's Methane and Haze Distributions and Surface Spectra

该计划的目标是使用土卫六上同一表面区域的多个视图来研究其大气层。 这将使科学家们能够首次确定泰坦低层大气中甲烷的三维分布。 这项工作的更广泛影响包括与地球气候和大气环流模式的潜在相关性，以及大学生参与STEM研究。泰坦将由凯克天文台、哈勃太空望远镜、VIMS（可见-红外成像光谱仪，卡西尼号飞船上的一种仪器）成像，以确定甲烷和烟雾在低层大气中的三维分布。 这项研究将大大提高我们对土卫六上气溶胶的理解，使我们能够在最低尺度的大气高度中寻找甲烷的空间变化，并允许在土卫六表面上寻找吸收特征。

The goal of this program is to use multiple views of the same surface area on Titan to study its atmosphere. It will allow scientists to determine the three dimensional distribution of methane in Titan's lower atmopshere for the first time. Broader impacts of the work include potential relevance to climate and atmospheric circulation patterns on Earth, and involvement of undergraduates in STEM research.Titan will be imaged by the Keck Observatory, the Hubble Space Telescope, & VIMS (Visible-Infrared Imaging Spectrometer, an instrument on the Cassini spacecraft) to determine the 3-D distribution of methane and hazes in the lower atmosphere. This research will significantly enhance our understanding of aerosols on Titan, enable the search for spatial variation in CH4 in the lowest scale height of the atmosphere, and permit the search for absorption features on Titan's surface.