Projects per year
Abstract
Titan's middle atmosphere is currently experiencing a rapid change of season after northern spring arrived in 2009 (refs 1, 2). A large cloud was observed for the first time above Titan's southern pole in May 2012, at an altitude of 300 kilometres. A temperature maximum was previously observed there, and condensation was not expected for any of Titan's atmospheric gases. Here we report that this cloud is composed of micrometre-sized particles of frozen hydrogen cyanide (HCN ice). The presence of HCN particles at this altitude, together with temperature determinations from mid-infrared observations, indicate a dramatic cooling of Titan's atmosphere inside the winter polar vortex in early 2012. Such cooling is in contrast to previously measured high-altitude warming in the polar vortex, and temperatures are a hundred degrees colder than predicted by circulation models. These results show that post-equinox cooling at the winter pole of Titan is much more efficient than previously thought.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 65-67 |
Number of pages | 3 |
Journal | Nature |
Volume | 514 |
Issue number | 7520 |
Early online date | 1 Oct 2014 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Oct 2014 |
Keywords
- OPTICAL-CONSTANTS
- INFRARED-SPECTRA
- STRATOSPHERIC AEROSOLS
- ATMOSPHERE
- CASSINI
- CONDENSATION
- WINTER
Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics of 'HCN ice in Titan's high-altitude southern polar cloud'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 2 Finished
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Nick Teanby's Leverhulme Prize
Teanby, N. A. (Principal Investigator)
1/03/11 → 1/03/14
Project: Research
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Mars and Titan's atmosphere and interior
Teanby, N. A. (Principal Investigator)
1/07/10 → 1/10/13
Project: Research
Profiles
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Professor Nicholas A Teanby
- School of Earth Sciences - Professor of Planetary Science
- Geophysics
Person: Academic , Member