Super-resolution maps of icy moons: Application to the Cassini-VIMS observations of Enceladus with updated navigation and photometric correction

The icy moons of the outer solar system have been found in the forefront of planetary exploration, due to their diverse geomorphology coupled with numerous discoveries hinting to possible habitable conditions. Of paramount importance for constraining the internal structure and properties of these bodies are high-precision cartographic products, allowing for linking surface morphologies and composition to internal activity. These cartographic products are constructed by reconciling numerous different observations, which, due to the complexities of an orbital tour, are recorded under a great range of different illumination and observation conditions, with varying spatial sampling. The aim of this study is to provide a complete pipeline for producing Super-Resolution (SR) maps for icy moons, by combining all the overlapping observations for a specific target. The development and testing of our pipeline are carried out for Enceladus, using the hyperspectral cubes recorded by the Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) instrument, on board the Cassini Saturn orbiter. We first navigate the data, calculating accurate projections that can be combined into global mosaics of Enceladus. We then implement a global photometric correction model that compensates for the different acquisition conditions. Finally, we combine all the overlapping observations to calculate the new SR maps of Enceladus in the infrared. The new SR global map of Enceladus provides new insight into the moon’s geomorphology as revealed from its surface spectral heterogeneity at finer spatial resolution, demonstrating the capability of SR to augment our current understanding of icy moons and help prepare for future observations.