Showing papers in "Icarus in 2015"

TL;DR: In this article, a multiannual climatology of airborne dust from martian year 24-31 using multiple datasets of retrieved or estimated column optical depths is presented, where the available retrievals of column dust optical depth (CDOD) from TES and THEMIS nadir observations, as well as the estimates of this quantity from MCS limb observations.

TL;DR: In this article, a multistage core-mantle differentiation model with N-body accretion simulations is proposed to test accretion simulation as well as planetary differentiation scenarios, and the model is refined by least squares minimization with up to five fitting parameters that consist of the metal-silicate equilibration pressure and 1-4 parameters that define the starting compositions of primitive bodies.

TL;DR: In this paper, it was shown that the mass-flow of pebbles is two-times lower and the characteristic size of the PEBbles is approximately ten times smaller within the snowline than beyond the snow-line (respectively at heliocentric distance r r(ice) where r r (ice) is the snowine distance), due to ice sublimation and the splitting of icy PEbbles into a collection of chondrule-size silicate grains.

TL;DR: Gladstone et al. as discussed by the authors used surface temperature measurements and ultraviolet albedo spectra from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter to test the hypothesis that exposed water frost exists within the Moon's shadowed polar craters, and that temperature controls its concentration and spatial distribution.

TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the contributions to atmospheric loss from both giant impacts and planetesimal accretion and found that the most efficient impactors for atmospheric loss are planetesimals just above that lower limit (2 km for the current Earth).

TL;DR: In this article, the authors estimate the completion versus size of present surveys based on the re-detection ratio, that is, the fraction of all detections over a recent period that are redetections of already discovered objects rather than new discoveries.

TL;DR: In this article, the authors studied specific Fe/Mg and Al-rich clay stratigraphies on Mars by means of a planetary scale orbital investigation and presented new evidence that Mars experienced an early era (>3.7 Ga) of widespread aqueous alteration consistent with surface weathering.

TL;DR: In this article, the authors defined large storms as discrete dust events visible in image sequences extending over at least five sols (Mars days) and where the dust covers areas beyond the origination region.

TL;DR: The first five Mars years of Mars Exploration Rover data provide an unprecedented record of the dust load at two sites as mentioned in this paper, which is useful for characterization of the atmosphere at the sites and as ground truth for orbital observations.

TL;DR: In this paper, the photochemical model contains 124 species, 60 of which are nitrogen containing compounds, and 1141 reactions, and the results are in reasonable agreement with the higher atmosphere but their model overestimates the mole fractions of several nitriles in the lower stratosphere.

TL;DR: In this paper, a catalog of proper elements with ∼384,000 numbered asteroids and on new methods is available, including a least squares fit of the two sides of a V-shape plot in the proper semimajor axis, inverse diameter plane to determine the corresponding slopes, an advanced error model for the uncertainties of asteroid diameters, an iterative outlier rejection scheme and quality control.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used a suite of numerical simulations to determine the ages of the families above, how Bennu reached its current orbit, and the most probable source family for Bennu.

TL;DR: In this article, the authors focus on Extrasolar Giant Planets (EPGs) orbiting K and M dwarf stars, and derive a new method to scale the EUV regions of the solar spectrum based upon stellar X-ray emission.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors show that the timing of gully activity is seasonally controlled and occurs during the period when seasonal frost is present and defrosting, which is consistent with their observations.

TL;DR: In this paper, a Monte Carlo technique was used to calculate the absolute magnitude (H) and slope parameters (G) of ∼240,000 asteroids observed by the Pan-STARRS1 telescope during the first 15 months of its 3-year all-sky survey mission.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors show that due to the effect of pattern variability in cratering over 100 km2 and the susceptibility of smaller craters to resurfacing, crater counts derived from small area samples are suspect to major uncertainties.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors provide an overview of the diverse imaging investigations that were carried out by the Remote Micro-Imager (RMI) during the first year of operation on Mars.

TL;DR: In this paper, conditions for regolith landslides to occur on spinning, gravitating spheroidal asteroids and their aftermath are studied by application of classical granular mechanics stability analysis to the asteroid environment.

TL;DR: In this paper, numerically integrated orbits of Pluto's satellites are presented, and the orbits have been fit to a data set that includes Earth-based and Hubble Space Telescope (HST) astrometry of Charon, Nix, Hydra, Kerberos, and Styx.

TL;DR: The Titan Atmospheric Model (TAM) as discussed by the authors combines the Flexible Modeling System (FMS) spectral dynamical core to a suite of external/sub-grid-scale physics.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors performed a simulation of a Borealis-scale giant impact on Mars and found that it is capable of producing a disk of mass ∼ 5 × 10 20 kilograms (∼ 1−4% of the impactor mass).

TL;DR: In this article, thermal infrared measurements from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Diviner Radiometer were used to derive lunar surface roughness via two observation types: (1) nadir multispectral observations with full diurnal coverage and (2) multiple emission angle targeted observations.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors analyzed spectra acquired at the limb of Titan in the 2006-2013 period by the Cassini/Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) in order to monitor the seasonal evolution of the thermal, gas composition and aerosol spatial distributions.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present an extensive suite of terrestrial planet formation simulations that allows quantitative analysis of this process and find that the size of a planet's feeding zone does not correlate with its final mass or semi-major axis, suggesting there is no systematic trend between a planet’s location and its volatile inventory.

TL;DR: The surface of Pluto as it is understood on the eve of the encounter of the New Horizons spacecraft (mid-2015) consists of a spatially heterogeneous mix of solid N 2, CH 4, CO, C 2 H 6, and an additional component that imparts color, and may not be an ice as discussed by the authors.

TL;DR: In this paper, the water vapor column abundance is retrieved from nadir observations to characterize its spatial, seasonal and interannual variations, and the sensitivity of the results to aerosol properties, surface albedo, solar spectrum and water vapor vertical distribution has also been studied.

TL;DR: In this paper, the New Horizons spacecraft fly-through of the Pluto system in July 2015 will provide humanity's first data for the crater populations on Pluto and its binary companion, Charon.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors presented a new catalog of 205 candidate closed-basin lakes contained within impact craters across the surface of Mars, including 55 basins that contain sedimentary fan deposits at the mouths of their inlet valleys.

TL;DR: In this paper, a global multispectral map in eight visible to near-infrared colors, at an average pixel scale of 1 km, was acquired by the MESSENGER Dual Imaging System.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors proposed a scheme to correct asteroid astrometric observations for star catalog systematic errors due to inaccurate star positions and proper motions, which can be freely used in orbit determination algorithms to obtain more reliable asteroid trajectories.