The roughness of the dark side of Iapetus from the 2004 to 2005 flyby

摘要: Abstract The roughness of a planetary surface offers clues to its past geologic history. We apply model developed by Buratti and Veverka (Buratti, B.J., Veverka, J. [1985]. Icarus 64, 320–328) Cassini ISS data from the January 1st, 2005 flyby Iapetus. This uses observed scattering behavior provide depth radius factor q quantifying size idealized craters on surface. Our findings indicate that dark side is significantly smoother than surfaces other icy low-albedo saturnian satellites. have found average leading (dark) 0.084, corresponding Hapke mean slope angle 6°. As compared 13–33° satellites 10 colleagues [2008]. 193, 309–322), our results present clearly different picture for Iapetus, suggesting deposit contributes decrease in macroscopic side. Attempts were made obtain an value trailing (bright) side; however scans bright this exhibited large variations albedo, resulting physically unrealistic.