8349(  2) - 12/18/98 16:40  - [  1]

    PROPOSAL FOR HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVATIONS   ST ScI Use Only
                                                       ID:      8349
                                                       Version: 2
                                                       Check-in Date: 18-Dec-1998
                                                                      16:39:00

1.Proposal Title:
MAPPING TRITON
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2. Proposal For  3. Cycle
AR               8
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4. Investigators
                                                                                     Contact?
    PI: Alan Stern                        Southwest Research Institute
   CoI: Dr. Marc Buie                     Lowell Observatory                            N
   CoI: Dr. Joel Parker                   SwRI                                          N

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5. Abstract

We propose to analyze an existing set of archival, high resolution UV and blue
HST/FOC images of Neptune's largest satellite, Triton, in order to obtain maps at
these useful wavelengths. Despite their quality, these Triton images have never been
analyzed in any detail, and no maps were ever made from them. The resulting analyses
and maps will be useful: (1) for determining the distribution of volatiles and major
photometric units on Triton, much as were the images and maps of Pluto we obtained
using the FOC in 1995; (2) to obtain a baseline HST measurement for comparison over
the next decade as Triton goes through an expected (and indeed, perhaps already-
starting) major, seasonal change; and (3) having obtained the first-ever UV images
of Triton, providing spatial context for the rotationally-resolved Triton FOS mid-UV
spectroscopy that we obtained and analyzed previously (Stern et al. 1995). Our plan
for this AR project is to use the generalized mapping software that we developed for
the FOC Pluto project (Stern et al. 1997; Buie & Stern 1998), to relatively quickly
create similar data products and types of analyses for Triton, so that this valuable
archival dataset can be exploited. One of our key goals is to search for evidence of
changes in Triton's appearance due to volatile transport between the 1989 Voyager
encounter and these 1995 images.
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  Data Distribution

  Paper Products:  NO
  Media:           ELECTRONIC
  Blocking Factor: 10
  Ship To:         PI_Address
  Ship Via:
  Email:
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                                                8349(  2) - 12/18/98 16:40  - [  2]

            Summary Form for Proposal  8349

  Item                         Used in this proposal
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  Proposal Category            AR
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