Investigation of the Sinlap Crater on Titan Using VIMS and RADAR Data

S. Le Mouélic (1) , Philippe Paillou (2, 3, 4) , S. Rodriguez (5) , M. Crapeau (2, 3, 4) , C. Sotin (6) , M. Hirtzig (7) , R. H. Brown (8) , L. A. Soderblom (9) , R. N. Clark (10) , B. J. Buratti (11)

1 LPG - Laboratoire de Planétologie et Géodynamique [UMR 6112]
2 L3AB - Laboratoire d'astrodynamique, d'astrophysique et d'aéronomie de bordeaux
3 OASU - Observatoire aquitain des sciences de l'univers
4 LAB - Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux [Pessac]
5 AIM (UMR7158 / UMR_E_9005 / UM_112) - Astrophysique Interprétation Modélisation
6 LPGN - Laboratoire de Planétologie et Géodynamique de Nantes [UMR 6112]
7 LESIA - Laboratoire d'études spatiales et d'instrumentation en astrophysique
8 LPL - Lunar and Planetary Laboratory [Tucson]
9 US Geological Survey [Flagstaff]
10 US Geological Survey [Denver]
11 JPL - Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Few impact craters have been observed so far on Titan by the CASSINI orbiter. A 80 km diameter crater (called Sinlap) has been observed by all three imaging instruments (ISS, VIMS and Radar). Observations at infrared and radar wavelengths provide very complementary information on the composition, topography and surface roughness of the surface materials. We first investigate the spectral characteristics of the Sinlap area using VIMS data, in order to map the spectral heterogeneities, highlighting the different compositional and physical characteristics of the materials excavated by the impact. These units are then compared to the radar observations acquired at T3. The differences between optical and radar properties are discussed in terms of composition and vertical heterogeneity

Mots clés: 6094 Instruments and techniques; 6281 Titan; 6297 Instruments and techniques; 6094 Instruments and techniques

Domaines: Planétologie et astrophysique de la terre [astro-ph.EP]; Planétologie et astrophysique de la terre [astro-ph.EP]

S. Le Mouélic, Philippe Paillou, S. Rodriguez, M. Crapeau, C. Sotin, et al.. Investigation of the Sinlap Crater on Titan Using VIMS and RADAR Data. 2006AGUFM.P13A0156L - American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2006, abstract #P13A-0156, 2006, San Francisco, United States. ⟨hal-00405534⟩