Engineering topics

Brown, R. H.

Publications and source records attributed to Brown, R. H..

At least 55 records · Page 3

NASA NTRS1992

VIMS/Cassini mission at Titan: Scientific objectives and observational scenarios

The scientific objectives and observational scenarios of the Cassini/Visual Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) Mission at Titan are addressed. The VIMS represents a powerful and effective means to both investigate, in four dimensions (latitude, longitude, altitude, and time), Titan's atmospheric structure and to map the near infrared spectral character of Titan's surface. Its broad spectral coverage from 0.35 to 5.1 micrometers together with its significant spectral resolution allows it to determine minor constituent distributions and cloud optical/microphysical properties from the surface to several hundred km. A promising means of obtaining high vertical resolution stratospheric profiles of hydrocarbons, oxides, and hazes via stellar occultation observations is discussed.

Baines, Kevin H.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Triton - Voyager's finale

The investigation of the Neptunian satellite Triton by the Voyager 2 is described with interpretations of the object's nature and composition. The orbit, seasonal cycle, and southern-hemisphere solstice are described, and the composition of the satellite is discussed. Triton's mass and radius are known, and the objects is made up of about 70 percent rock and organics and 30 percent ice by mass. Triton's interior is warm and geologically active considering its distance from the sun, and large amounts of frozen methane and nitrogen are theorized to contribute to the object's high reflectivity. Also noted in the Voyager color images are creeping ice, cryogenic lava, and dark streaks on the south polar cap from nitrogen gas leaks driven by a type of greenhouse effect. Triton represents a class of satellite that has not been observed previously: a moon-sized body in a retrograde inclined orbit from the class of objects that coalesced to form Neptune.

Brown, R. H.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Evidence for ammonium-bearing minerals on Ceres

Spectra obtained from recent telescopic observation of 1-Ceres and laboratory measurements and theoretical calculations of three component mixtures of Ceres analog material suggest that an ammoniated phyllosilicate is present on the surface of the asteroid, rather than H2O frost as had been previously reported. The presence of an ammoniated phyllosilicate, most likely ammoniated saponite, on the surface of Ceres implies that secondary temperatures could not have exceeded 400 Kelvin.

King, Trude V. V.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Solid C triple bond N bearing material on outer solar system bodies

Recent telescopic observations have led to the identification of cyanogroup-containing molecules in the dark surface solids of several D-class asteroids, cometary dusts, and the rings of Uranus, as well as the low-albedo atmosphere of Iapetus. The occurrence of the 2.2-micron overtone of C triple-bond N's stretching fundamental mode in all four classes of small solar system bodies is presently suggested to serve as a diagnostic of both exposure duration and degree of modification of surface materials.

Cruikshank, Dale P.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Infrared observations of small solar system bodies

Infrared reflectance spectra were measured of dark primitive asteroids in the 2 to 5 micron wavelength region. The search was for organic complexes such and CN, CH, and NH in dark material on small bodies in the solar system. A search and study was made of volatiles such as nitrogen, methane, ammonia, and carbon monoxide, both as free ices and hydrates/clathrates, on icy surfaces in the outer solar system, using high resolution spectra obtained with a multichannel cooled grating, infrared spectrometer. An absorption that can be attributed to X-C (triple bond) N in the matrix of dark materials on the primitive asteroids.

Brown, R. H.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Detection of solid C(triple bond)N bearing materials on solar system bodies

We found observational evidence for the presence of C(triple bond)N-bearing solid materials on four classes of Solar System bodies: comets, asteroids, the rings of Uranus, and Saturn's satellite Iapetus. Gaseous CN was known in comet spectra, and the IR spectra of Comet P/Halley show emission of the CN fundamental at 4.5 microns interpreted as solids containing CN- group in the grains of the inner coma. The presented data offer the first evidence for chemically related material on the other objects.

Cruikshank, Dale P.↗

NASA NTRS1991

The role of nonuniform internal heating in Triton's energy budget

Triton's large heliocentric distance and high albedo, combined with its unusually large silicate mass fraction, make internal heating more important in its energy budget than in that of any other icy satellite. Brown et al. have recently estimated that the average radiogenic heat flux (which is probably between 3.3 and 6.6 mW/sq m depending on core size and composition) may equal 5 to 20 pct. of the average absorbed insolation. On a global scale, this additional energy input appreciably increases the thermal emissivity required to be consistent with the observed surface temperature. Brown et al. also speculated that spatial variations of the internal flux may change the local sublimation deposition balance enough to lead to observable modifications of the distribution of volatiles on Triton's surface. An attempt is made to estimate the magnitude of internal heat flux variations due to the insulating effect of the polar caps, to mantle convection, and to cryovolcanism; the importance is evaluated of these variations in modifying the volatile distribution.

Kirk, R. L.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Triton's global heat budget

Internal heat flow from radioactive decay in Triton's interior along with absorbed thermal energy from Neptune total 5 to 20 percent of the isolation absorbed by Triton, thus comprising a significant fraction of Triton's surface energy balance. These additional energy inputs can raise Triton's surface temperature between about 0.5 and 1.5 K above that possible with absorbed sunlight alone, resulting in an increase of about a factor of about 1.5 to 2.5 in Triton's basal atmospheric pressure. If Triton's internal heat flow is concentrated in some areas, as is likely, local effects such as enhanced sublimation with subsequent modification of albedo could be quite large. Furthermore, indications of recent global albedo change on Triton suggest that Triton's surface temperature and pressure may not now be in steady state, further suggesting that atmospheric pressure on Triton was as much as ten times higher in the recent past.

Brown, R. H.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Evidence for ammonium-bearing minerals in Ceres

Evidence for ammonium-bearing minerals was found on the surface of the largest asteroid Ceres. The presence of ammonium-bearing clays suggests that Ceres has experienced a period of alteration by substantial amounts of an ammonium-bearing fluid. The presence of the ammonium-bearing clays does not preclude Ceres maintaining a volatile inventory in the core or in a volatile-rich zone at some distance below the surface. Telescopic observations of Ceres, using the 3.0 meter NASA Infrared telescope facility prompted this reevaluation of its surface mineralogy.

King, T. V. V.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Triton: A hot potato

The effect of sunlight on the surface of Triton was studied. Widely disparate models of the active geysers observed during Voyager 2 flyby were proposed, with a solar energy source almost their only feature. Yet Triton derives more of its heat from internal sources (energy released by the radioactive decay) than any other icy satellite. The effect of this relatively large internal heat on the observable behavior of volatiles on Triton's surface is investigated. The following subject areas are covered: the Global Energy Budget; insulation polar caps; effect on frost stability; mantle convection; and cryovolcanism.

Kirk, R. L.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Triton's global heat budget

Internal heat flow from radioactive decay in Triton's interior along with absorbed thermal energy from Neptune total 5 to 20 percent of the insolation absorbed by Triton, thus comprising a significant fraction of Triton's surface energy balance. These additional energy inputs can raise Triton's surface temperature between approx. 0.5 to 1.5 K above that possible with absorbed sunlight alone, resulting in a factor of approx. 1.5 to 2.5 increase in Triton's basal atmospheric pressure. If Triton's internal heatflow is concentrated in some areas, as is likely, local effects such as enhanced sublimation with subsequent modification of albedo could be quite large. Furthermore, indications of recent albedo change on Triton suggest that Triton's surface temperature and pressure may not now be in steady state, further suggesting that atmospheric pressure on Triton was as much as 10 times higher in the recent past.

Brown, R. H.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Three basaltic earth-approaching asteroids and the source of the basaltic meteorites

Diameters of 1.2, 1.0, and 3.4 km are respectively derived for the earth-approaching asteroids 1983 RD, 1980 PA, and 1985 DO2, whose spectra are virtually identical to that of the basaltic-surfaced large asteroid, Vesta. While probably not fragments of Vesta, the three asteroids may be fragments of one or more Vesta-like parent bodies; it is suggested that they may be fragments of the source body or bodies of the HED meteorites. While these asteroids' regoliths have significant insulating properties, they differ from that of the moon in that lunar-like glasses and agglutinates are largely absent. It is noted that asteroids of this kind may have impacted the earth without leaving the chemical signatures associated with the K-T boundary event.

Cruikshank, D. P.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Uranus satellites - Surface properties

The post-Voyager knowledge of the photometric, colorimetric, spectral, and thermal properties of the Uranian satellites is reviewed, focusing on such fundamental physical properties as albedo, color, and surface texture. While albedo variations of at least a factor of 2 exist, color differences are almost absent (Miranda) or subdued (Oberon). In the case of Titania, the strong opposition effect reported by ground-based observers was confirmed by Voyager. Voyager did not observe the opposition parts of the phase curves of the other satellites. Voyager thermal observations of Ariel and Miranda suggest that both have highly porous regoliths, thermophysically similar to those of Jupiter's icy satellites. At the time of the flyby (south pole facing the sun), maximum surface temperatures reached or exceeded 85 K, but nighttime polar temperatures are predicted to drop to 20 to 30 K because each pole spends about 40 yr in darkness. Ground-based spectroscopy identified water ice as an important surface constituent.

Veverka, J.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Triton's geyser-like plumes - Discovery and basic characterization

One model for the mechanism driving the plumes of the four active geyser-like eruptions observed by Voyager 2 on Triton is a heating up of nitrogen ice in a subsurface greenhouse environment, where nitrogen gas pressurized by solar heating explosively vents to the surface carrying clouds of ice and dark particles into the atmosphere. A temperature increase of less than 4 K above the ambient surface value of 38 + or - 3 K suffices to drive the plumes to 8-km altitude. Each eruption may last a year or more, over the course of which 0.1 cu km of ice is sublimed.

Soderblom, L. A.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Voyager disk-integrated photometry of Triton

Hapke's (1981) photometric model has been combined with a plane-parallel thin atmospheric haze model to describe Voyager whole-disk observations of Triton, in the violet, blue, and green wavelength bands, in order to obtain estimates of Triton's geometric albedo, phase integral, and Bond albedo. Phase angle coverage in these filters ranging from about 12 to 159 deg was obtained by combining narrow- and wide-angle camera images. An upturn in the data at the highest phase angles observed can be explained by including scattering in a thin atmospheric haze layer with optical depths systematically decreasing with wavelength from about 0.06 in the violet to 0.03 for the green filter data.

Hillier, J.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Energy sources for Triton's geyser-like plumes

Four geyser-like plumes were discovered near Triton's south pole in areas now in permanent sunlight. Because Triton's southern hemisphere is nearing a maximum summer solstice, insolation as a driver or a trigger for Triton's geyser-like plumes is an attractive hypothesis. Trapping of solar radiation in a translucent, low-conductivity surface layer (in a solid-state greenhouse), which is subsequently released in the form of latent heat of sublimation, could provide the required energy. Both the classical solid-state greenhouse consisting of exponentially absorbed insolation in a gray, translucent layer of solid nitrogen, and the 'super' greenhouse consisting of a relatively transparent solid-nitrogen layer over an opaque, absorbing layer are plausible candidates. Geothermal heat may also play a part if assisted by the added energy input of seasonal cycles of insolation.

Brown, R. H.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Triton - Do we see to the surface?

The quantity and physical state of methane and nitrogen in the atmosphere of Neptune's satellite Triton and on the surface are evaluated by means of new telescopic data and laboratory measurements of these volatiles. Methane ice is seen in some spectral regions, indicating that the atmosphere is sufficiently transparent to permit sunlight penetration to the surface. Some of the molecular nitrogen absorption occurs in the atmosphere, though some must occur in condensed nitrogen (liquid or solid) on Triton's surface, or in a thin cloud of condensed nitrogen. The Voyager spacecraft cameras should see the surface of Triton.

Cruikshank, D. P.↗

NASA NTRS1989

V photometry of Titania, Oberon, and Triton

The phase angle and orbital brightness variations of Titania, Oberon, and Triton are presently obtained through analysis of V filter photometry obtained at Mauna Kea in 1982-1983. While Titania and Oberon exhibit magnitude variations with phase angle comparable to those of low-to-moderate albedo asteroids observed within several deg of opposition, Triton's phase variation is distinctly different from these and has a phase coefficient consistent with either a high-albedo regolith or an optically thick nonparticulate scattering layer (perhaps an atmosphere, or an ocean). A low-albedo regolith cannot on the strength of these data be ruled out, however.

Goguen, J. D.↗