Physics
Scientific paper
Jul 2008
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008hst..prop11573s&link_type=abstract
HST Proposal ID #11573. Cycle 17
Physics
Scientific paper
Uranus is now past its 7 December 2007 equinox. The large seasonal phase shift expected from its long radiative time constant implies that it should now be in the process of reversing its hemispheric asymmetries in cloud band structure and zonal circulation. Many changes already observed -- the development of the first visible-wavelength dark spot, discovered in Cycle 15, the fading of the south polar cap, and the development of a new northern bright band while the southern band fades -- may all be indicative of the expected reversal. We propose a detailed characterization of Uranus' current seasonal response with a 9-orbit program consisting of 3 orbits of WFC3 imaging of cloud bands and dark spots, and 6 orbits of high signal-to-noise imaging using the F845M filter, capable of tracking bright discrete cloud features. Filters between 0.467 and 1.7 microns will provide vertical sensing depths scanning through the pressure range where the putative methane and deeper H2S clouds might plausibly exist and provide strong constraints on their contributions and parent gas mixing ratios. These observations have unique combinations of spectral range and resolution with needed temporal sampling and spatial resolution not available from groundbased observations.;
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