Cassini Imaging Science: Initial Results on Saturn's Atmosphere

C. C. Porco; E. Baker; J. Barbara; K. Beurle; A. Brahic; J. A. Burns; S. Charnoz; N. Cooper; D. D. Dawson; A. D. Del Genio; T. Denk; L. Dones; U. Dyudina; M. W. Evans; B. Giese; K. Grazier; P. Helfenstein; A. P. Ingersoll; R. A. Jacobson; T. V. Johnson; A. McEwen; C. D. Murray; G. Neukum; W. M. Owen; J. Perry; T. Roatsch; J. Spitale; S. Squyres; P. Thomas; M. Tiscareno; E. Turtle; A. R. Vasavada; J. Veverka; R. Wagner; R. West

doi:10.1126/science.1107691

Special Reports

Cassini Imaging Science: Initial Results on Saturn's Atmosphere

C. C. Porco1,*,
E. Baker1,
J. Barbara2,
K. Beurle3,
A. Brahic4,
J. A. Burns5,
S. Charnoz4,
N. Cooper3,
D. D. Dawson6,
A. D. Del Genio2,
T. Denk7,
L. Dones8,
U. Dyudina9,
M. W. Evans3,
B. Giese10,
K. Grazier11,
P. Helfenstein5,
A. P. Ingersoll9,
R. A. Jacobson11,
T. V. Johnson11,
A. McEwen6,
C. D. Murray3,
G. Neukum7,
W. M. Owen11,
J. Perry6,
T. Roatsch10,
J. Spitale1,
S. Squyres5,
P. Thomas5,
M. Tiscareno5,
E. Turtle6,
A. R. Vasavada11,
J. Veverka5,
R. Wagner10,
R. West11

¹ Cassini Imaging Central Laboratory for Operations, Space Science Institute, 4750 Walnut Street, Suite 205, Boulder, CO 80301, USA.
² Goddard Institute for Space Studies, NASA, 2880 Broadway, New York, NY 10025, USA.
³ Astronomy Unit, Queen Mary, University of London, London E1 4NS, UK.
⁴ Centre d'Etudes de Saclay, Université Paris 7, L'Orme des Merisiers, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France.
⁵ Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, Space Sciences Building, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
⁶ Department of Planetary Sciences, University of Arizona, 1629 East University Boulevard, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
⁷ Institut für Geologische Wissenschaften, Freie Universität, 12249 Berlin, Germany.
⁸ Department of Space Sciences, Southwest Research Institute, 1050 Walnut Street, Suite 400, Boulder, CO 80302, USA.
⁹ Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, 150-21, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
¹⁰ Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Center, Rutherfordstrasse 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany.
¹¹ Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA.

↵* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: carolyn{at}ciclops.org

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Science 25 Feb 2005:
Vol. 307, Issue 5713, pp. 1243-1247
DOI: 10.1126/science.1107691

C. C. Porco

1 Cassini Imaging Central Laboratory for Operations, Space Science Institute, 4750 Walnut Street, Suite 205, Boulder, CO 80301, USA.

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For correspondence: carolyn@ciclops.org

E. Baker

1 Cassini Imaging Central Laboratory for Operations, Space Science Institute, 4750 Walnut Street, Suite 205, Boulder, CO 80301, USA.

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J. Barbara

2 Goddard Institute for Space Studies, NASA, 2880 Broadway, New York, NY 10025, USA.

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K. Beurle

3 Astronomy Unit, Queen Mary, University of London, London E1 4NS, UK.

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A. Brahic

4 Centre d'Etudes de Saclay, Université Paris 7, L'Orme des Merisiers, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France.

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J. A. Burns

5 Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, Space Sciences Building, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.

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S. Charnoz

4 Centre d'Etudes de Saclay, Université Paris 7, L'Orme des Merisiers, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France.

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N. Cooper

3 Astronomy Unit, Queen Mary, University of London, London E1 4NS, UK.

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D. D. Dawson

6 Department of Planetary Sciences, University of Arizona, 1629 East University Boulevard, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.

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A. D. Del Genio

2 Goddard Institute for Space Studies, NASA, 2880 Broadway, New York, NY 10025, USA.

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T. Denk

7 Institut für Geologische Wissenschaften, Freie Universität, 12249 Berlin, Germany.

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L. Dones

8 Department of Space Sciences, Southwest Research Institute, 1050 Walnut Street, Suite 400, Boulder, CO 80302, USA.

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U. Dyudina

9 Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, 150-21, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.

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M. W. Evans

3 Astronomy Unit, Queen Mary, University of London, London E1 4NS, UK.

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B. Giese

10 Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Center, Rutherfordstrasse 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany.

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K. Grazier

11 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA.

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P. Helfenstein

5 Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, Space Sciences Building, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.

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A. P. Ingersoll

9 Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, 150-21, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.

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R. A. Jacobson

11 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA.

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T. V. Johnson

11 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA.

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A. McEwen

6 Department of Planetary Sciences, University of Arizona, 1629 East University Boulevard, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.

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C. D. Murray

3 Astronomy Unit, Queen Mary, University of London, London E1 4NS, UK.

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G. Neukum

7 Institut für Geologische Wissenschaften, Freie Universität, 12249 Berlin, Germany.

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W. M. Owen

11 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA.

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J. Perry

6 Department of Planetary Sciences, University of Arizona, 1629 East University Boulevard, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.

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T. Roatsch

10 Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Center, Rutherfordstrasse 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany.

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J. Spitale

1 Cassini Imaging Central Laboratory for Operations, Space Science Institute, 4750 Walnut Street, Suite 205, Boulder, CO 80301, USA.

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S. Squyres

5 Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, Space Sciences Building, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.

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P. Thomas

5 Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, Space Sciences Building, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.

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M. Tiscareno

5 Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, Space Sciences Building, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.

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E. Turtle

6 Department of Planetary Sciences, University of Arizona, 1629 East University Boulevard, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.

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A. R. Vasavada

11 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA.

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J. Veverka

5 Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, Space Sciences Building, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.

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R. Wagner

10 Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Center, Rutherfordstrasse 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany.

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R. West

11 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA.

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Abstract

The Cassini Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS) began observing Saturn in early February 2004. From analysis of cloud motions through early October 2004, we report vertical wind shear in Saturn's equatorial jet and a maximum wind speed of ∼375 meters per second, a value that differs from both Hubble Space Telescope and Voyager values. We also report a particularly active narrow southern mid-latitude region in which dark ovals are observed both to merge with each other and to arise from the eruptions of large, bright storms. Bright storm eruptions are correlated with Saturn's electrostatic discharges, which are thought to originate from lightning.

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Cassini Imaging Science: Initial Results on Saturn's Atmosphere

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