The Cassini-Huygens Mission: Orbiter Remote Sensing Investigations New edition

Marc Notes: Reprinted from Space science reviews, volume 115, nos. 1-4, 2004--Vol. 3, t.p; Includes bibliographical references;v. 1. Overview, objectives, and Huygens instrumentarium -- v. 3. Orbiter remote sensing investigations. Table of Contents: Cassini Radio Science; A. J. Kliore et al.- RADAR: The Cassini Titan Tadar Mapper; C. Elachi et al.- The Cassini Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) Investigation; R. H. Brown et al.- Exploring the Saturn System in the Thermal Infrared: The Composite Infrared Spectrometer; F. M. Flasar et al.- The Cassini Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph Investigation; L. W. Esposito et al.- Cassini Imaging Science: Instrument Characteristics and Capabilities and Anticipated Scientific Investigations at Saturn; C. C. Porco et al. Publisher Marketing: Atthiswriting the Cassini spacecraft has ?redits engine and successfully inserted itself andits precious cargoof scienti?c instruments into orbit, the ?rst step of its exploration of the Saturnian system. The suspense is not over, however. While excitingimages of therings have been captured, anexotic composition of Phoebe sensedby themapping spectrometer and unexpectedpanoply of magneticwaves andplasma dynamics encountered on the incoming trajectory andinitial orbit, the Huygensprobeisstillonboardandthe?rstclose?ybyofTitanhasnottakenplace. Not until Christmas Day will the probe bereleased. Navigators are still checking theircalculations, worryingaboutknownunknownslikethemassofSaturn smoons that could cause ever so small a deviation from the planned trajectory of the probe. Theorbiter investigators are also anxious but theyget their taste of Titan earlier, on October 26. Howwell will theydetect the surface? How thickisthe atmosphere? Does Titan haveamagnetic?eld?Isthere lightninginthe atmosphere of Titan? While terrestrial and HubbleSpace Telescope pictures have improvedgreatly over the years, they cannot match the resolution obtainable from orbitabout theplanet, and much of the data issimply unobtainablewithout direct insitu sensing. Volume 1 of this three volume set described the Cassini/Huygens mission, its scienti?c objectives and the Huygens probethat will soon enter theTitan at- sphere. Volume 2 described the insitu investigations on theorbiter. In this, the third and ?nal volume of the compendium, we describethe remote sensing inv- tigations: radioscience, radar, visibleandinfrared spectroscopy, thermalinfrared studies, ultraviolet spectroscopy and visible imagery."

Contributor Bio:  Russell, C T C. T. Russell has over 40 years experience on space flight missions including Apollo 15 and 16, Pioneer Venus Orbiter, Vega 1 and 2, Phobos, Galileo and Cassini among many others. Previous books in this series under his editorship have included Galileo, Genesis, 2001 Mars Odyssey, and Cassini. He has published over 1100 articles in journals and books on topics of planetary and space physics and won several awards including the AGUa (TM)s Fleming and Macelwane medals and COSPAR Space Science prize.