Dual origin of aerosols in titan's detached haze layer

Abstract

We have analyzed scattered light profiles from the Cassini Imaging Science Subsystem, taken at the limb and at several large phase angles. We also used results from an occultation observed by Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph in the ultraviolet. We found that particles responsible for the scattering in the detached haze have an effective radius around 0.15 μm and the aerosol size distribution follows a power law (exponent about -4.5). We discuss these results along with microphysical constraints and thermal equilibrium of the detached haze, and we conclude that only a strong interaction with atmospheric dynamics can explain such a structure. © 2011. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.