Formation of Nitrogen Atmosphere On Titan


Why does Titan, a moon of Saturn, possess a large nitrogen atmosphere, when the only other planetary body in our Solar System where vast quantities of nitrogen are observed is our own planet Earth?

Near-infrared Spectra of Laboratory Water-Methane (H2O-CH4) Ice Mixtures
Distinguishing methane ice from water ice and their combination using infrared spectroscopy.

Strain at Radially Fractured Centers (RFCs) on Venus
Fractures which extend for very large distances are the result of magma intrusions (dikes) below the surface.

Single-Molecule Resolution of Optical Microscope
Researchers at JPL have developed the first optical nanoscope, the Flourescence Apertureless Near-field Scanning Optical Microscope (FANSOM).

Updates on High-Dispersion Spectroscopy, Radial Velocity and the Planet Search Program
The California-Carnegie team will be able to study the radial velocity of stars with more precision than ever before.

Low Frequency Plasma Oscillations Observed at Mars During 2003 Solar Storms
Because of Mars's lack of an intrinsic global magnetic field, the solar wind interacts directly with the Martian ionosphere.

Cassini Magnetometer Finds an Atmosphere on Saturn's Moon Enceladus
The Cassini spacecraft's two close flybys of Saturn's icy moon Enceladus have revealed that the moon has a significant atmosphere.

Habitability in High Radiation Environments: The Case for Gaia at Europa
Icy satellites with significant heat, irradiation and subsurface water sources may provide common abodes for life.

To Sea or Not to Sea: Titan's Paradigm Malfunction
A single paradigm that had been developed to study the Saturnian system and its largest moon, Titan, has been shaken to its core.

Spectral Mapping of Phoebe Reveals Water and Carbon Dioxide-Rich Composition on Surface
The existence of carbon dioxide strongly suggests that Phoebe did not originate in the asteroid belt.