Re: Oily ocean on Titan

From: habshi (habshi_at_anony.com)
Date: 01/15/05 

Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2005 23:52:06 GMT

superb photo on

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4177401.stm

Scientists have released the first results from the Huygens probe's
journey to Saturn's moon Titan, along with amazing new images.

They also played sounds recorded as Huygens dived towards the surface.

Measurements suggest the area it landed on has the consistency of
"creme brulee" and may have once been flooded.

The European Space Agency said it would launch an enquiry into the
loss of one of two information channels during transmission of the
probe's data.

But overall the mission has been a resounding success, scientists
agreed.

Professor David Southwood, Esa's director of science, was emotional as
he read from the poem On First Looking Into Chapman's Homer by John
Keats to sum up the team's sense of exhilaration at exploring a new
world.

See how the Huygens probe descended to Titan
"It continues to reassure us that people working together in
interpersonal relationships that are dedicated to a goal can produce
incredible, incredible things. And that's what has happened here,"
said Alphonso Diaz, associate administrator for science at the US
space agency (Nasa).

Tangerine sky

The colour image shows the surface of Titan is bright orange with a
tangerine sky, with "boulders" probably formed from ice.

 HUYGENS' INSTRUMENTS
 
1. HASI - measures physical and electrical properties of Titan's
atmosphere
2. GCMS - identifies and measures chemical species abundant in moon's
'air'
3. ACP - draws in and analyses atmospheric aerosol particles
4. DISR - images descent and investigates light levels
5. DWE - studies direction and strength of Titan's winds
6. SSP - determines physical properties of moon's surface

Hopes ride on Huygens
Huygens probe 'looks good'
Cassini's goodbye snap
Aerial photographs from the descent show drainage channels apparently
flowing off land into what seems to be a dark ocean, possibly composed
of some tarry substance.

It also shows a bank of what could be methane fog shrouding the
landscape.

Professor John Zarnecki, principal investigator on Huygens' surface
science package (SSP) said the area where Huygens landed appeared to
have a thin crust that overlies a material with more uniform
consistency something like wet sand.

"Maybe this suggests it was wet not so long ago and hasn't penetrated
so far into the surface," said Dr Marty Tomasko, head of the Huygens
imaging instrument.

Scientists also unveiled measurements of the chemical methane in
Titan's atmosphere. The chemistry of Titan is thought to be similar to
that of Earth 4.6 billion years ago and could provide clues to how
life first arose on our planet.

The loss of the data channel has resulted in about 350 images being
returned by the probe instead of over 700.

It will also slow down the speedy return of data from an experiment to
measure winds on Titan.

Lightning strikes

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