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Barbinis, E.

Publications and source records attributed to Barbinis, E..

9 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2011

Saturn's Equatorial Oscillation: Evidence of Descending Thermal Structure from Cassini Radio Occultations

A series of near-equatorial radio occultations of Cassini by Saturn occurred in 2005 and again in 2009-2010. Comparison of the temperature-pressure profiles obtained from the two sets of occultations shows evidence of a descending pattern in the stratosphere that is similar to those associated with equatorial oscillations in Earth's middle atmosphere. This is the first time that this descent has been observed in another planetary atmosphere. If absorption of upwardly propagating waves drives the descent, the implied absorbed flux is 0.05 square meters per square second at least as large if not greater than on Earth.

Schinder, P. J.↗
NASA NTRS2002

The Cassini Gravitational Wave Experiment

Doppler tracking experiments using the earth and a distant spacecraft as separated test masses have been used for gravitational wave searches in the low-frequency band. Here we describe the experiment, including the transfer functions of the signals and noises to the Doppler observable, and present the noise statistics and compare them with the pre-experiment noise budget.

gravitational↗
NASA NTRS2000

A close-up look at Io from Galileo's near-infrared mapping spectrometer

Infrared spectral images of Jupiter's volcanic moon Io, acquired during the October and November 1999 and February 2000 flybys of the Galileo spacecraft, were used to study the thermal structure and sulfur dioxide distribution of active volcanoes. Loki Patera, the solar system's most powerful known volcano, exhibits large expanses of dark, cooling lava on its caldera floor. Prometheus, the site of long-lived plume activity, has two major areas of thermal emission, which support ideas of plume migration. Sulfur dioxide deposits were mapped at local scales and show a more complex relationship to surface colors than previously thought, indicating the presence of other sulfur compounds.

long duration↗
NASA NTRS1996

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Spectral Mapping of Jupiter and the Galilean Satellites: Results from Galileo's Initial Orbit

The Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer performed spectral studies of Jupiter and the Galilean satellites during the June 1996 perijove pass of the Galileo spacecraft. Spectra fora5-micrometer hotspot on Jupiter are consistent with the absence of a significant watercloud above 8 bars and with a depletion of water compared to that predicted for solar composition, corroborating results from the Galileo probe. Great Red Spot (GRS) spectral images show that parts of this feature extend upward to 240 millibars, although considerable altitude-dependent structure is found within it. A ring of dense clouds surrounds the GRS and is lower than it by 3 to 7 kilometers. Spectra of Callisto and Ganymede reveal a feature at 4.25 micrometers, attributed to the presence of hydrated minerals or possibly carbon dioxide on their surfaces. Spectra of Europa's high latitudes imply that fine-grained water frost overlies larger grains. Several active volcanic regions were found on lo, with temperatures of 420 to 620 kelvin and projected areas of 5 to 70 square kilometers.

Carlson, R.↗