Roger Nelson Clark

Nitrogen on Triton

Abstract The near-infrared spectrum of Triton is characterized by strong absorption bands of methane, probably in the solid state. An additional absorption band at 2.16 μm is tentatively identified as the density-induced (2-0) band of molecular nitrogen in the liquid state. The fundamental overtones of this band system cannot presently be observed because of limitations of the terrestrial atmosphere or spectral signal precision. Using the absorption coefficient for this band derived from laboratory observations and from the literature, it is calculated that Triton must have a layer of nitrogen at least tens of centimeters deep over much of its surface; this quantity is plausible in terms of the cosmic abundance of nitrogen and by comparison with Titan where a massive atmosphere of nitrogen exists. The Triton spectrum has been modeled with liquid nitrogen and solid methane, and it is found that the shape of the continuum in two spectral regions can be properly accounted for by adding a spectral component corresponding to fine-grained water frost. It is speculated that yet another component, a dark, solid, photochemical derivative of methane, may occur as a trace contaminant of the surface materials. If much of the surface of Triton is liquid, the radiometric observations of the satellite must be reinterpreted to derive the radius and surface albedo. If there is liquid nitrogen exposed on the surface, the atmosphere of Triton is probably dominated by nitrogen rather than methane because of the much higher vapor pressure of the former. At the calculated subsolar temperature of Triton, the vapor pressure of nitrogen implies a surface atmospheric pressure in the range 0.13 to 0.30 atm.

Frost grain size metamorphism: Implications for remote sensing of planetary surfaces

Abstract An understanding of the rates of frost grain growth is essential to the goal of relating spectral data on surface mineralogy to the physical history of a planetary surface. Models of grain growth kinetics have been constructed for various frosts based on their individual thermodynamic properties and on the difference in binding energy between molecules on plane vs curved faces. A steady state situation can occur on planetary surfaces in which thermal elimination of small grains competes with their creation, usually by meteorite impact. We utilize predicted grain growth rates to explain telescopic spectral data on condensate surfaces throughout the solar system. On Pluto, predicted CH4 ice grain growth rates are very high despite the low temperature, resulting in a multicentimeter optical path. This explains the strong CH4 absorption band depths, which otherwise would require large amounts of CH4 gas. On the Uranian and Saturnian satellites, extremely slow grain growth rates are predicted because of the low vapor pressure of H2O at the existing average surface temperatures. This may explain evidence for fine grain size and peculiar microstructure. On Io, ordinary thermal exchange is more effective than sputtering in promoting grain growth because of the properties of SO2. Over much of Ios disk, submicron size grains of SO2 could plausibly reconfigure into a surface glaze on a timescale comparable to the resurfacing rate. This may explain the relatively strong SO2 signature in Ios infrared absorption spectrum as opposed to its weaker manifestation in the visible spectrum. In spite of lower sputtering fluxes, sputtering plays a more important role in grain growth for Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto than on Io. This is a result of high rates of thermally activated grain growth and resurfacing on Io. The sequence of H2O-ice absorption band depths (related to the mean grain size) is J2(T) ∼ J3(T) > J2(L) > J3(L) ∼ J4(T) ∼ J4(L), where L = leading and T = trailing. This is to be expected if sputtering were dominant. The calculations show, however, that neither thermalized exchange fluxes nor sputtering exchange fluxes can produce the implied grain growth or the ordering by ice absorption band depths of the six satellite hemispheres. Only sputtering control by simple ejection of H2O from the satellites, as the dominant cause of shorter mean lifetimes for smaller exposed grains, can satisfactorily explain the data. Some observations, which suggest that there are vertical grain size gradients, may result from a steady state balance between intense near surface production of fine frost by comminution, coupled with ongoing ubiquitous grain growth in the vertical column. In certain cases, e.g., Europa and Enceladus, the possibility exists that endogenic activity as well as comminution could affect grain size—at least locally. It is concluded that not only ice identification and mapping, but ice grain size mapping is an important experiment to be conducted on future missions.

Saturn's satellites: Nuar-infrared spectrophotometry (0.6–2.5 μm) of the leading and trailing sides and compositional implications

Abstract Near-infrared spectra, 0.65–2.5 μm, are presented for Tethys, Dione, Rhea, Iapetus, and Hyperion. Water ice absorptions at 2.0, 1.5, and 1.25 μm are seen in the spectra of all five objects (except the 1.25-μm band was not detected in spectra of Hyperion) and the weak 1.04-μm ice absorption is detected on the leading and trailing sides of Rhea, and the trailing side of Dione. Upper limits to the 1.04-μm ice band depth are

Implications of using broadband photometry for compositional remote sensing of icy objects

Water ice has such a low absorption coefficient at visual wavelengths (∼0.01 cm−1) that a very small amount of particulate material can significantly darken an icy surface. A variety of ice plus particle mixtures were studied to show that particulate contaminations of ∼1% by weight (even 0.1% or less in some cases) in ice or frosts result in reflectance levels close to that of the contaminants. In a very clear ice (no bubbles) it is plausible to have a reflectance < 0.05 for particulate contaminations ∼10−7 by weight for submicron dark particles, such as carbon lampblack. Scattering conditions compete for domination with contaminants for control of visual reflectance, implying that the apparent reflectivity level and color of a surface is a poor indicator of ice content. A dark surface (e.g., albedo 0.05) does not necessarily imply that there us very little water ice present. Infrared JHK colors of water ice and other minerals, including ice-mineral mixtures, show that some orthopyroxenes can have JHK colors very similar to fine-grained water frosts. In general, it is possible that the JHK colors of an ice plus particulate mixture can fall anywhere in the classical J-H versus H-K diagram, thus the diagram cannot be used to distinguish a predominately “rock” surface from one which is predominantely ice for one specific case. An important exception is the case where both the J-H and H-K colors are ≲−0.2. It appears that such colors indicate a relatively pure icy surface. In some cases, the diagram might be used as a statistical tool to distinguish between the compositions of surfaces within a class of objects, but the validity of such comparisons decreases for different classes, such as the main-belt asteroids when compared to outer solar system satellites, where water ice is more stable.

Surface of Miranda - Identification of water ice

Abstract Near-infrared spectrophotometry at 5% resolution shows Miranda to have a water-ice surface. Estimates of Mirandas albedo made from the depth of its 2.0-μm absorption band suggest that its visual geometric albedo is likely to be between 10 and 70%, which when combined with the satellites visual magnitude, yields a diameter of 500 ± 225km. There is some evidence that suggests the visual geometric albedo of Miranda may be ≥0.3, which implies that its diameter may lie near the lower end of the estimated range. With these results all the Uranian satellites are now known to have water-ice surfaces.

Verification of Remotely Sensed Data

Ground or field checks are an important part of any remote sensing study and are necessary to provide an accurate and useful interpretive product. Field checking is necessary to confirm the validity of spectral, spatial, and morphological interpretations. In general, field checking should be done during all stages of any type of a remote sensing investigation. The methods and magnitude of work necessary to complete the field checking will be dependent on the type of remote sensing data to be verified and the scientific questions to be answered. Remotely sensed data provides an assessment of natural and anthropogenic features as they appear at the time of data acquisition, and possible changes between data acquisition and field checking must be considered.

Discovery of alunite in Cross crater, Terra Sirenum, Mars: Evidence for acidic, sulfurous waters

Abstract Cross crater is a 65 km impact crater, located in the Noachian highlands of the Terra Sirenum region of Mars (30°S, 158°W), which hosts aluminum phyllosilicate deposits first detected by the Observatoire pour la Minéralogie, L’Eau, les Glaces et l’Activitié (OMEGA) imaging spectrometer on Mars Express. Using high-resolution data from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, we examine Cross crater’s basin-filling sedimentary deposits. Visible/shortwave infrared (VSWIR) spectra from the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) show absorptions diagnostic of alunite. Combining spectral data with high-resolution images, we map a large (10 km × 5 km) alunite-bearing deposit in southwest Cross crater, widespread kaolin-bearing sediments with variable amounts of alunite that are layered in <10 m scale beds, and silica- and/or montmorillonite-bearing deposits that occupy topographically lower, heavily fractured units. The secondary minerals are found at elevations ranging from 700 to 1550 m, forming a discontinuous ring along the crater wall beneath darker capping materials. The mineralogy inside Cross crater is different from that of the surrounding terrains and other martian basins, where Fe/Mg-phyllosilicates and Ca/Mg-sulfates are commonly found. Alunite in Cross crater indicates acidic, sulfurous waters at the time of its formation. Waters in Cross crater were likely supplied by regionally upwelling groundwaters as well as through an inlet valley from a small adjacent depression to the east, perhaps occasionally forming a lake or series of shallow playa lakes in the closed basin. Like nearby Columbus crater, Cross crater exhibits evidence for acid sulfate alteration, but the alteration in Cross is more extensive/complete. The large but localized occurrence of alunite suggests a localized, high-volume source of acidic waters or vapors, possibly supplied by sulfurous (H2S- and/or SO2-bearing) waters in contact with a magmatic source, upwelling steam or fluids through fracture zones. The unique, highly aluminous nature of the Cross crater deposits relative to other martian acid sulfate deposits indicates acid waters, high water throughput during alteration, atypically glassy and/or felsic materials, or a combination of these conditions.

Characterizing the source of potentially asbestos-bearing commercial vermiculite insulation using in situ IR spectroscopy

Abstract Commercially produced vermiculite insulation from Libby, Montana, contains trace levels of asbestiform amphibole, which is known to cause asbestos-related diseases. When vermiculite insulation is found in a building, evaluation for its potential asbestos content traditionally involves collecting a sample from an attic or wall and submitting it for time-consuming analyses at an off-site laboratory. The goal of this study was to determine if in situ near-infrared reflectance measurements could be used to reliably identify the source of vermiculite ore and therefore its potential to contain asbestos. Spectra of 52 expanded ore samples, including attic insulation, commercial packing materials, and horticultural products from Libby, Montana; Louisa, Virginia; Enoree, South Carolina; Palabora, South Africa; and Jiangsu, China, were measured with a portable spectrometer. The mine sources for these vermiculite ores were identified based on collection location, when known, and on differences in elemental composition as measured by electron probe microanalysis. Reflectance spectra of the insulation samples show vibrational overtone and combination absorptions that vary in wavelength position and relative intensity depending on elemental composition and proportions of their constituent micas (i.e., vermiculite ore usually consists of a mixture of hydrobiotite and vermiculite mineral flakes). Band depth ratios of the 1.38/2.32, 1.40/1.42, and 2.24/2.38 μm absorptions allow determination of a vermiculite insulation’s source and detection of its potential to contain amphibole, talc, and/or serpentine impurities. Spectroscopy cannot distinguish asbestiform vs. non-asbestiform amphiboles. However, if the spectrally determined mica composition and mineralogy of an insulation sample is consistent with ore from Libby, then it is likely that some portion of the sodic-calcic amphibole it contains is asbestiform, given that all of the nearly two dozen Libby vermiculite insulation samples examined with scanning electron microscopy in this study contain amphiboles. One sample of expanded vermiculite ore from multiple sources was recognized as a limitation of the spectral method, therefore an additional test (i.e., 2.24 μm absorption position vs. 2.24/2.38 μm band depth ratio) was incorporated into the spectral method to eliminate misclassification caused by such mixtures. With portable field spectrometers, the methodology developed can be used to determine vermiculite insulation’s source and estimate its potential amphibole content, thereby providing low-cost analysis with onsite reporting to property owners.

Observational evidence for active dust storms on Titan at equinox

Saturn’s moon Titan has a dense nitrogen-rich atmosphere, with methane as its primary volatile. Titan’s atmosphere experiences an active chemistry that produces a haze of organic aerosols that settle to the surface and a dynamic climate in which hydrocarbons are cycled between clouds, rain and seas. Titan displays particularly energetic meteorology at equinox in equatorial regions, including sporadic and large methane storms. In 2009 and 2010, near Titan’s northern spring equinox, the Cassini spacecraft observed three distinctive and short-lived spectral brightenings close to the equator. Here, we show from analyses of Cassini spectral data, radiative transfer modelling and atmospheric simulations that the brightenings originate in the atmosphere and are consistent with formation from dust storms composed of micrometre-sized solid organic particles mobilized from underlying dune fields. Although the Huygens lander found evidence that dust can be kicked up locally from Titan’s surface, our findings suggest that dust can be suspended in Titan’s atmosphere at much larger spatial scale. Mobilization of dust and injection into the atmosphere would require dry conditions and unusually strong near-surface winds (about five times more than estimated ambient winds). Such strong winds are expected to occur in downbursts during rare equinoctial methane storms—consistent with the timing of the observed brightenings. Our findings imply that Titan—like Earth and Mars—has an active dust cycle, which suggests that Titan’s dune fields are actively evolving by aeolian processes.Saturn’s moon Titan may have an active dust cycle in equatorial regions driven by storm winds, Cassini observations consistent with dust suspension in Titan’s atmosphere suggest.

Photometric Modeling and VIS‐IR Albedo Maps of Dione From Cassini‐VIMS

We report about the derivation of visible (VIS) and infrared (IR) albedo maps and spectral indicators of Saturns satellite Tethys from the complete Cassini‐Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) data set. The application of a photometric correction is necessary to remove illumination and viewing effects from the I/F spectra, to compute spectral albedo and to correctly associate spectral variations to changes in composition or physical properties of the surface. In this work we are adopting the photometric correction proposed by Shkuratov et al. (2011, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pss.2011.06.011) to derive albedo maps of Tethys from disk‐resolved Cassini‐VIMS data. After having applied a similar methodology to Diones data (Filacchione et al., 2018, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL076869), we present here the results achieved for Tethys: surface albedo maps and photometric parameters are computed at five visible (0.35, 0.44, 0.55, 0.70, and 0.95 μm) and five infrared (1.046, 1.540, 1.822, 2.050, and 2.200 μm) wavelengths and rendered in cylindrical projection with a 0.5° × 0.5° angular resolution in latitude and longitude, corresponding to a highest spatial resolution of 4.7 km/bin. The 0.35‐ to 0.55‐ and 0.55‐ to 0.95‐μm spectral slopes and the water ice 2.050‐μm band depth maps are computed after having applied the photometric correction, in order to trace the leading‐trailing hemisphere dichotomy, to constrain the shape of the equatorial lens generated by the bombardment of high‐energy magnetospheric electrons on the leading hemisphere, and to observe the stronger water ice band depth and reddening within the floors of Odysseus and Penelope impact craters.