National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Cassini/CIRS Science

CIRS Science Objectives:

• For Titan:
  • Thermal and compositional mapping of atmosphere
  • Surface temperature mapping
• For Saturn:
  • Thermal and compositional mapping of atmosphere
  • Search for new molecular species
• For Saturn's Rings:
  • Determine the thermal structure
  • Determine the material composition and particle size
• For Saturn's Icy Satellites:
  • Thermal and compositional mapping of surfaces
  • Determination of subsurface regolith structure

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Note about Titan:

There are several types of Titan observations that occur during the Titan flyby's.  From the closest proximity to Titan, the types of observations are Far-IR Limb, Far-IR Nadir, Mid-IR Limb, Far-IR Nadir Composition Integration,  and Mid-IR Nadir.  The limb observations indicate that the CIRS instrument will be directed at Titan's horizon as viewed from the spacecraft while nadir means the center of Titan.  During the observations, the major data collected consist of scans or stares of the aerosols, temperature, and composition of Titan's atmosphere.