Titan's volcano may release methane


Possible volcanic dome on Titan
 
This high-resolution infrared image was taken by the NASA-ESA Cassini-Huygens mission during the first Titan fly-by on 26 October 2004, just before closest approach. The spatial resolution of the images, acquired by the VIMS instrument on board the Cassini orbiter gradually approaching Titan's surface, ranges between 2.6 and 1.8 kilometres per pixel. On the centre-right of the image a bright circular structure can be seen, which is interpreted as a volcanic dome.


 
Details of the bright feature, most likely an ice-volcano, imaged by VIMS in different wavelengths


 
This image provides a geological interpretation of the Titan area imaged by VIMS on 26 October 2004, during the first Cassini-Huygens fly-by of Saturn's largest Moon. The possible volcanic dome is highlighted in yellow.

Note to editors
 

 
This mosaic, showing the relative positions of the volcanic dome and the Huygens landing site, is composed of images was taken by the VIMS instrument on 26 October 2004, when the spacecraft was at about 1200 kilometres distance. The spatial resolution of the mosaic cubes ranges between a few tens of kilometres to 2 kilometres per pixel.



Release date: 29 June 2005