Home | Site Map | What's New | Image Index | Copyright | Posters | ScienceViews | Science Fiction Timelines |

PHOTO INDEX OF
PRIMARY TARGETS
ASTEROIDS
COMETS
EARTH
JUPITER
KUIPER BELT
MARS
MERCURY
METEORITES
NEPTUNE
OORT CLOUD
PLUTO
SATURN
SOLAR SYSTEM
SPACE
SUN
URANUS
VENUS
ORDER PRINTS

OTHER PHOTO INDEXES
ALL TARGETS
PHOTO CATEGORIES

SCIENCEVIEWS
AMERICAN INDIAN
AMPHIBIANS
BIRDS
BUGS
FINE ART
FOSSILS
THE ISLANDS
HISTORICAL PHOTOS
MAMMALS
OTHER
PARKS
PLANTS
RELIGIOUS
REPTILES
SCIENCEVIEWS PRINTS

Perspective view of Cairo Sulcus, Enceladus

Target Name:  Enceladus
Spacecraft:  Cassini Orbiter
Instrument:  Imaging Science Subsystem - Narrow Angle
Produced by:  NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute/Universities Space Research Association/Lunar & Planetary Institute
Copyright: NASA Copyright Free Policy
Cross Reference:  PIA12209
Date Taken:  August 2008

Related Documents
Download Options

NameTypeWidth x HeightSize
PIA12209.jpgJPEG674 x 79490K
PIA12209.tifTIFF674 x 794401K

This perspective view of Cairo Sulcus was generated using high resolution images of Enceladus acquired in August 2008 at 12 to 30 meters (40 to 100 feet) resolution, together with a new topographic map of the region produced by Dr. Paul Schenk (http://www.lpi.usra.edu/lpi/schenk/) at the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, TX. Lower resolution images to either side were acquired at 50 to 80 meter (165 to 260 feet) resolution. Cairo Sulcus is one of several prominent structures, dubbed "tiger stripes," within the geologically active south polar region of Enceladus. These structures consist of two large parallel ridges up to 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) across separated by a deep V-shaped medial trough. This view highlights one of the wall scarps of the medial trough of Cairo Sulcus, the brightly lit scarp crossing the left-hand side of the view. This wall scarp stands 175 to 250 meters (575 to 820 feet) high. Vertical striations and large boulders tens of meters across clutter the surface of this scarp, evidence of faulting and/or slumping of crustal ices. Troughs such as these are probably the source of numerous jets making up the large active water vapor plume over the south pole of Enceladus. The parallel sets of rounded mounds and ridges In the foreground are up to 50 meters (165 feet) high. These are typical of the plains that lie between the tiger stripe structures and resemble crumpled or folded rock patterns seen on Earth. Relief has been exaggerated by a factor of ~10 to enhance clarity.

Copyright © 1995-2016 by Calvin J. Hamilton. All rights reserved.