Titan Cassini SAR - HiSAR Global Mosaic 351m

Primary Authors

Cassini SAR Team

Originators

Jet Propulsion Laboratory, USGS Astrogeology Science Center

Publisher

USGS Astrogeology Science Center

Publication Date

2015-01-01

Abstract

Product Information: This global map of Titan is a preliminary product showing coverage from Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and High Altitude Synthetic Aperture Radar (HiSAR) images at a pixel resolution of 351 meters per pixel (m). This mosaic merges Cassini swaths through flyby T104 into a single mosaic. Mission and Instrument Information: The Cassini-Huygens mission was a joint endeavor between the Italian Space Agency, the European Space Agency (ESA; ESA, 2000-2019) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA; NASA, 2019). The Cassini-Huygens mission launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Base in Florida on October 15, 1997 and ended on September 15, 2017 when Cassini began its Final Entry into Saturn’s Atmosphere. The primary mission ran from July 2004 – June 2008, the first mission extension, Equinox, was from July 2008- October 2010 and was followed by a final extended mission, Solstice, from October 2010 – September 2017. The Cassini Titan Radio Detection and Ranging (RADAR) Mapper plays a significant role in investigating the surface of Titan. This multi-mode radar instrument operates in the 13.8 GHz Ku-band (or 2.2 cm wavelength) and is designed to probe the optically inaccessible surface of Titan. The four different modes of the instrument (Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging, Altimetry, Scatterometry and Radiometry) allow surface imaging as well as topographic mapping at spacecraft altitudes between 100,000 km and about 1,000 km, with resolutions for the modes ranging from 100s of km to a few hundred meters (Elachi et al., 2005). The observations, particularly when performed in the active modes of SAR, altimetry and scatterometry, are largely unaffected by atmospheric contributions. SAR data collected in high altitude orbit (HiSAR) extend the area of coverage and are useful for mapping moderate sized features such as mountains and lakes. References: Elachi, C., Wall, S., Allison, M., Anderson, Y., Boehmer, R., Callahan, P., Encrenaz, P., et al. (2005). Cassini Radar views the surface of Titan. Science, 308(5724), 970-974. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1109919 European Space Agency (ESA) (2000-2019). Cassini Equinox Mission. https://sci.esa.int/web/cassini-huygens/-/43181-cassini-tour-equinox-mission National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) (2019). Missions: Cassini. https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/cassini/overview Stephan, K., Jaumann, R., Karkoschka, E., Kirk, R., Barnes, J. W., Tomasko, M. G., Turtle, E. P., et al. (2009). Mapping products of Titan's surface. In Brown, R. H., Lebreton, J. P., & Waite, J. H. (Eds.), Titan From Cassini-Huygens (Ch. 19, pp. 489–510). New York, NY: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9215-2

Purpose

The Cassini Solstice Mission is a joint United States and European endeavor. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini orbiter was designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team consists of scientists from the US, England, France, and Germany. The imaging operations center and team lead (Dr. C. Porco) are based at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo.

Contact and Distribution

Format

Geologic Map, Raster Data, Remote-sensing Data

Access Constraints

None

Access Scope

PDS

Use Constraints

Please cite authors

Edition

Through T104

Supplemental Information

http://dx.doi.org/10.1007%2F978-1-4020-9215-2_19, http://ciclops.org/, http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/, http://ciclops.org/view.php?id=7921, https://pds-imaging.jpl.nasa.gov/documentation/RADARUsersGuide2ndEdV2.pdf

Native Data Set Environment

ISIS v3

Astrogeology Theme

Flyby missions, Image Processing, Remote Sensing

Mission Names

Cassini-Huygens

Instrument Names

HiSAR, SAR

Online Package Link

https://astrogeology.usgs.gov/search/map/titan_cassini_sar_hisar_global_mosaic_351m

External File Size

1013 MB

Online File Link

https://planetarymaps.usgs.gov/mosaic/Titan_SAR_HiSAR_MosaicThru_T104_Jan2015_clon180_128ppd.tif

Contact Address

2255 N. Gemini Drive

Contact City

Flagstaff

Contact State

AZ

Contact Postal Code

86001

Contact Email

astroweb@usgs.gov

Data Status and Quality

Time Period of Content (start)

2007-07-01

Time Period of Content (stop)

2013-10-01

Currentness Reference

Ground condition

Progress

In Work

Update Frequency

As needed

Logical Consistency

About 2 km RMS from rotational uncertainty, and another 2 km per km of elevation.

Completeness Report

This is a preliminary product.

Process Description

JPL calibrated the original images and USGS stretched (in ISIS) using an 8bit logarithmic stretch and then combined the images into a mosaic using ArcMap. HiSAR images were placed underneath SAR images during the mosaic process.

Source Title

PDS Cassini Radar Volumes

Source Online Linkage

{http://pds-imaging.jpl.nasa.gov/volumes/radar.html,https://pds-imaging.jpl.nasa.gov/portal/cassini_mission.html}

PDS Status

PDS 3 Like

Attribute Accuracy Report

Best Effort

Horizontal Positional Accuracy Report

Best Effort

Geospatial Information

Target

Titan

System

Saturn

Minimum Latitude

-90

Maximum Latitude

90

Minimum Longitude

0

Maximum Longitude

360

Direct Spatial Reference Method

Raster

Object Type

Grid Cell

Raster Row Count (lines)

23040

Raster Column Count (samples)

46080

Bit Type (8, 16, 32)

8

Quad Name

Radius A

2575000

Radius C

2575000

Control Net

none

Bands

1

Pixel Resolution (meters/pixel)

351.11

Scale (pixels/degree)

128

Map Projection Name

Simple Cylindrical

Latitude Type

Planetocentric

Longitude Direction

Positive East

Longitude Domain

0 to 360