The radial distribution of water ice and chromophores across Saturn's system

TL;DR

This study uses Cassini VIMS hyperspectral data to map the distribution of water ice and chromophores across Saturn's rings and moons, revealing compositional variations linked to their evolutionary and interaction histories.

Contribution

It presents a detailed spectral analysis of surface compositions across Saturn's system, highlighting spatial variations in water ice and chromophores using new spectral indicators.

Findings

Significant compositional variations across Saturn's system.

Correlation between surface features and evolutionary processes.

Distinct spectral signatures for different surface materials.

Abstract

Over the last eight years, the Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) aboard the Cassini orbiter has returned hyperspectral images in the 0.35-5.1 micron range of the icy satellites and rings of Saturn. These very different objects show significant variations in surface composition, roughness and regolith grain size as a result of their evolutionary histories, endogenic processes and interactions with exogenic particles. The distributions of surface water ice and chromophores, i.e. organic and non-icy materials, across the saturnian system, are traced using specific spectral indicators (spectral slopes and absorption band depths) obtained from rings mosaics and disk-integrated satellites observations by VIMS.