IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v11y2020i1d10.1038_s41467-020-16110-1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Multilayer hazes over Saturn’s hexagon from Cassini ISS limb images

Author

Listed:
  • A. Sánchez-Lavega

    (Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU)

  • A. García-Muñoz

    (Technische Universität Berlin)

  • T. Río-Gaztelurrutia

    (Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU)

  • S. Pérez-Hoyos

    (Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU)

  • J. F. Sanz-Requena

    (Universidad de Valladolid)

  • R. Hueso

    (Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU)

  • S. Guerlet

    (Sorbonne Universite, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Ecole Polytechnique, Ecole Normale Superieure (ENS))

  • J. Peralta

    (Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)

Abstract

In June 2015, Cassini high-resolution images of Saturn’s limb southwards of the planet’s hexagonal wave revealed a system of at least six stacked haze layers above the upper cloud deck. Here, we characterize those haze layers and discuss their nature. Vertical thickness of layers ranged from 7 to 18 km, and they extended in altitude ∼130 km, from pressure level 0.5 bar to 0.01 bar. Above them, a thin but extended aerosol layer reached altitude ∼340 km (0.4 mbar). Radiative transfer modeling of spectral reflectivity shows that haze properties are consistent with particles of diameter 0.07–1.4 μm and number density 100–500 cm−3. The nature of the hazes is compatible with their formation by condensation of hydrocarbon ices, including acetylene and benzene at higher altitudes. Their vertical distribution could be due to upward propagating gravity waves generated by dynamical forcing by the hexagon and its associated eastward jet.

Suggested Citation

  • A. Sánchez-Lavega & A. García-Muñoz & T. Río-Gaztelurrutia & S. Pérez-Hoyos & J. F. Sanz-Requena & R. Hueso & S. Guerlet & J. Peralta, 2020. "Multilayer hazes over Saturn’s hexagon from Cassini ISS limb images," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-16110-1
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16110-1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-16110-1
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-020-16110-1?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-16110-1. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.