Posted on 01/15/2005 3:38:33 AM PST by cabojoe
This composite was produced from images returned yesterday, 14 January 2005, by ESA's Huygens probe during its successful descent to land on Titan. It shows a full 360-degree view around Huygens.
(Excerpt) Read more at esa.int ...
This composite was produced from images returned Friday, Jan. 14, 2005, by ESA's Huygens probe during its successful descent to land on Titan.
Below:Ellesmere Island, Northern Canada
Description: Even as summer wanes, snowmelt and glacial runoff swell the rivers along Alaska's southern coast. In this true—color Terra MODIS image acquired on August 22, 2003, the Copper River (center left) spills light gray sediments into the Gulf of Alaska.
STATUS REPORT
Date Released: Saturday, January 15, 2005
Source: European Space Agency
First Results from Huygens
Scientists have revealed the their initial findings based on analysis of the Huygens data. As well as images of Titan, sounds have also been recorded in the atmosphere.
DISR
Composite images shows three dimensional structure Possible methane or ethane ground fog on surface Wind speed 7 metres per second at altitudes 10 to 20 km
This image was returned yesterday, 14 January 2005, by ESA's Huygens probe during its successful descent to land on Titan. This is the coloured view, following processing to add reflection spectra data, gives a better indication of the actual colour of the surface. Initially thought to be rocks or ice blocks, they are more pebble-sized. The two rock-like objects just below the middle of the image are about 15 centimetres (left) and 4 centimetres (centre) across respectively, at a distance of about 85 centimetres from Huygens. The surface is darker than originally expected, consisting of a mixture of water and hydrocarbon ice. There is also evidence of erosion at the base of these objects, indicating possible fluvial activity
A composite image showing a full 360-degree view around Huygens. The left-hand side, behind Huygens, shows a boundary between light and dark areas. These images were taken from an altitude of about 8 kilometres with a resolution of about 20 metres per pixel.
GCMS
Detailed analysis of methane In stratosphere - uniform mixing 90 minutes into descent and the methane mixing ratio (relative to nitrogen) changes indicating the possible presence of clouds Methane mixing ratio is higher at the surface
HASI
Data collected from entry covering the full deceleration of the probe and conducting a full analysis of the atmospheric structure. Measurements of pressure and temperature against altitude achieved. Surface temperature estimated at 93.8 K Microphone recorded sounds in the Titan atmosphere as the probe descended.
SSP
Recovered 3 hours 37 minutes of data, including 1 hour 10 minutes on the surface. No data from any of the nine sensors was lost. Deceleration of about 15g in 40 milliseconds when Huygens touched down. Touchdown took place 2 hours 27 minutes 57 seconds after atmosphere interface. Penetrometer measurements suggest a thin crust of over the surface. Penetrometer extended 15 cm into the surface. Sonar measurements recorded data until about 12m above surface. Impact speed on surface 4.5 metres per second.
Radio Experiments
By using VLBI techniques 18 radio observatories around the world were able to track the descent of the Huygens probe. This will allow scientist to determine the position of Huygens to within a few kilometres and wind speed to a few metres per second.
I know what you mean.
I work in a nuclear power services division of a British company. We pound out results while they "study" things. Parliment wanted to sell off the US part of the company as the first step towards privatization, but once they studied the books, they realized that the US groups were the only ones that were profitable.
So I still work for the Queen.
Detailed analysis of methane In stratosphere - uniform mixing 90 minutes into descent and the methane mixing ratio (relative to nitrogen) changes indicating the possible presence of clouds. Methane mixing ratio is higher at the surface.
I think this says that if there are methane clouds (composed of droplets) the Methane/Nitrogen ratio decreases(since methane vaopr is going into the liquid state from the vapor), and at the surface there is a higher concentration of methane - it comes from the ground - I wonder what the phase stability curve for methane clathrate is at the surface.
It's quite comprehensible to anyone who's ever spent any time in Europe.
No more scientific cooperation with those elitist SOBs! The competition (Gasp! Compeeteetion? Like zee Ameericuns prefer eet? Gasp!) would be good for them and good for science. Let's see them get to Titan on their own (Ha, that'd be the day!).
All three hundred of those pictures would now be in the public domain if NASA had built the Huygens probe. These problems with slow and nonexistent photo release were 100% predictable with the John f'n Kerry Euroweenie crowd running things. I'm actually a little peeved with NASA, too, for not preempting the Europeans and releasing the photos independently as they came in.
I thought the gain changes might be from some splicing. I am sure this isn't the entire descent. Still, I wondered about the low sound. Certainly either my imagination or some technical artifact, but I just wondered what it might be. The low sounds are clearly present, only the periodicity is suspect.
I missed that. Can you give a brief recap?
The only thing I read was that one Huygens comm channel was lost at Cassini because JPL followed the procedure
spec'd by the [French] ESA.
That's Mr. Boogie from Nightmare Before Christmas, or Senator Byrd in his go to meetin' attire.
I forgot about them. Here are a couple from google:
" I remember when those idiots were protesting the Cassini mission. What an embarrassment they were to themselves, displaying their stupidity for all the world to see.
There is always a battle on a spacecraft for bits and you could say that the imager got the short of the stick, IMHO. I'm sure they wish they had more bandwidth.
One wonders how much bandwidth that comparatively useless record of the wind blowing by Huygens took.
LOL! I hope lots of sharks evolved there... big, mean, hungry ones!
Willie Green is feverishly working on where to put the light rail lines.
Guilty. Sadly it wasn't as nice as forecasted. Milky overcaset, and not much clean wind. :(
It looks like a city in this pic! Amazing!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.