This image from Cassini's radar instrument shows an impact crater with a
diameter of 30 kilometers (19 miles) on the surface of Saturn's moon
Titan.
Cassini data have only revealed three definite impact craters on Titan so
far, so each new discovery adds significantly to our body of knowledge.
Impact craters are particularly important, as their shapes give scientists
insight into the structure of the crust beneath Titan's surface. The
difference in overall appearance between this crater, which has a central
peak, and those without, such as Sinlap, (see PIA07368), indicates variations
in the conditions of impact, thickness of the crust, or properties of the
meteorite that made the crater. The dark floor indicates smooth or highly
absorbing materials.
This image was acquired by the Cassini radar instrument in synthetic
aperture mode during a Sept. 7, 2006, flyby of Titan. The image is
centered at 70 degrees west longitude, 10 degrees north latitude, and
measures about 150 kilometers high by 190 kilometers wide (93 by 118
miles). The smallest details in this image are about 500 meters (about
550 yards) across.
The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European
Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. 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 and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and
assembled at JPL. The radar instrument team is based at JPL, working with
team members from the United States and several European countries.
For more information about the Cassini-Huygens mission visit
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.cfm.
