Titan
Interior, Surface, Atmosphere, and Space Environment

This comprehensive reference and guide examines the processes that shape the atmosphere and surface of Titan, Saturn's largest moon.

Ingo Müller-Wodarg (Edited by), Caitlin A. Griffith (Edited by), Emmanuel Lellouch (Edited by), Thomas E. Cravens (Edited by)

9780521199926, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 24 February 2014

474 pages, 179 b/w illus. 35 colour illus. 31 tables
28.5 x 22 x 2.7 cm, 1.64 kg

'This book can be highly recommended to Titan Buffs and indeed to all who cherish planetary science and space research and … should be considered for one's personal library.' The Observatory

Titan, the largest of Saturn's moons, shares remarkable similarities with Earth. Its thick atmosphere is composed primarily of nitrogen; it features the most complex organic chemistry known outside of Earth and, uniquely, hosts an analog to Earth's hydrological cycle, with methane forming clouds, rain and seas. Using the latest data from the ongoing Cassini–Huygens missions, laboratory measurements and numerical simulations, this comprehensive reference examines the physical processes that shape Titan's fascinating atmospheric structure and chemistry, weather, climate, circulation and surface geology. The text also surveys leading theories about Titan's origin and evolution, and assesses their implications for understanding the formation of other complex planetary bodies. Written by an international team of specialists, chapters offer detailed, comparative treatments of Titan's known properties and discuss the latest frontiers in the Cassini–Huygens mission, offering students and researchers of planetary science, geology, astronomy and space physics an insightful reference and guide.

Introduction I. C. F. Müller-Wodarg, C. A. Griffith, E. Lellouch and T. E. Cravens
Prologue 1: the genesis of Cassini–Huygens W.-H. Ip, T. Owen and D. Gautier
Prologue 2: building a space flight instrument: a P.I.'s perspective M. Tomasko
1. The origin and evolution of Titan G. Tobie, J. I. Lunine, J. Monteux, O. Mousis and F. Nimmo
2. Titan's surface geology O. Aharonson, A. G. Hayes, P. O. Hayne, R. M. Lopes, A. Lucas and J. T. Perron
3. Thermal structure of Titan's troposphere and middle atmosphere F. M. Flasar, R. K. Achterberg and P. J. Schinder
4. The general circulation of Titan's lower and middle atmosphere S. Lebonnois, F. M. Flasar, T. Tokano and C. E. Newman
5. The composition of Titan's atmosphere B. Bézard, R. V. Yelle and C. A. Nixon
6. Storms, clouds, and weather C. A. Griffith, S. Rafkin, P. Rannou and C. P. McKay
7. Chemistry of Titan's atmosphere V. Vuitton, O. Dutuit, M. A. Smith and N. Balucani
8. Titan's haze R. West, P. Lavvas, C. Anderson and H. Imanaka
9. Titan's upper atmosphere: thermal structure, dynamics, and energetics R. V. Yelle and I. C. F. Müller-Wodarg
10. Titan's upper atmosphere/exosphere, escape processes, and rates D. F. Strobel and J. Cui
11. Titan's ionosphere M. Galand, A. J. Coates, T. E. Cravens and J.-E. Wahlund
12. Titan's magnetospheric and plasma environment J.-E. Wahlund, R. Modolo, C. Bertucci and A. J. Coates.

Subject Areas: Geology & the lithosphere [RBG], Solar system: the Sun & planets [PGS], Astronomy, space & time [PG]