Computer Science
Scientific paper
Jul 2008
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008hst..prop11540g&link_type=abstract
HST Proposal ID #11540. Cycle 17
Computer Science
Scientific paper
Methane is highly abundant in Pluto's atmosphere, and methane photolysis is the starting point for a series of chemical processes that should result in the production of hydrocarbons and nitriles. Photochemical modeling of Pluto's atmosphere has suggested that detectable abundances of various hydrocarbons and nitriles should occur on Pluto. However, past analysis of 40 orbits of archival HST/FOS data in the mid-UV has only produced upper limits on abundances of C4H2, C6H2, HC3N, and C4N2. We will use COS to obtain spectra from 2060-2460?, including absorption bands of the hydrocarbon diacetylene {C4H2} and the nitrile cyanoacetylene {HC3N}. Previously-measured 2-sigma upper limits for these compounds are somewhat below the values computed in the poorly-constrained models; the measurement uncertainties themselves are of the same order as the modeled values. By reducing the uncertainties by a factor of a few to several, we aim to detect the presence of these compounds, or to provide more restrictive abundance limits. These measurements will provide valuable new data on the nature and chemistry of the Plutonian atmosphere.;
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