This book is one of two volumes meant to capture, to the extent practical, the sci- ti? c legacy of the Cassini-Huygens prime mission, a landmark in the history of pl- etary exploration. As the most ambitious and interdisciplinary planetary exploration mission ? own to date, it has extended our knowledge of the Saturn system to levels of detail at least an order of magnitude beyond that gained from all previous missions to Saturn. Nestled in the brilliant light of the ne w and deep understanding of the Saturn pl- etary system is the shiny nugget that is the spectacularly successful collaboration of individuals, organizations and governments in the achievement of Cassini-Huygens. In some ways the partnerships formed and lessons learned may be the most enduring legacy of Cassini-Huygens. The broad, international coalition that is Cassini- Huygens is now conducting the Cassini Equinox Mission and planning the Cassini Solstice Mission, and in a major expansion of those fruitful efforts, has extended the collaboration to the study of new ? agship missions to both Jupiter and Saturn. Such ventures have and will continue to enrich us all, and evoke a very optimistic vision of the future of international collaboration in planetary exploration.
This book reviews our current knowledge of Saturn's largest moon Titan featuring the latest results obtained by the Cassini-Huygens mission. A global author team addresses Titan's origin and evolution, internal structure, surface geology, the atmosphere and ionosphere as well as magnetospheric interactions. The book closes with an outlook beyond the Cassini-Huygens mission. Colorfully illustrated, this book will serve as a reference to researchers as well as an introduction for students.
From the reviews:
"The chapters, written by experts in the field, progress from an overview of what was known about Titan prior to this space mission to an in-depth look at Titan's formation ? . Each chapter is well illustrated, and the use of color photos is a significant asset. ? the overall book is compelling and comprehensive. This very detailed compendium will likely become a primary source for Titan and a must have for any planetary scientist professional. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above." (R. A. Kolvoord, Choice, Vol. 47 (10), June, 2010)
"This book could be used in a variety of ways as the overview at the beginning of the book describes the main results for Titan ? . has an excellent flow and is written in 'plain' English with many colour illustrations ? . should be on the shelf of any Titan enthusiast who is looking for a book that brings together the majority of knowledge about Titan to date." (Lucy Norman, Astrobiology Society of Britain, February, 2010)
