Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2004
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2004agufm.p51b1437w&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2004, abstract #P51B-1437
Physics
5707 Atmospheres: Structure And Dynamics, 6207 Comparative Planetology, 6255 Neptune, 6293 Uranus, 0320 Cloud Physics And Chemistry
Scientific paper
Abundances of heavy elements below cloud levels provide critical constraints to the models of formation of giant planets and the origin of their atmospheres. In this study we present the results of an equilibrium cloud condensation model which calculates the bases and concentrations of methane ice, ammonia ice, ammonium hydrosulfide-solid, water ice, and aqueous-ammonia solution (``droplet'') clouds. Due to their similar p-T structures, the Neptune and Uranus results are similar. Based on the measured CH4 mixing ratio, the C/H at Neptune is 30-50× solar, and 20-30× solar at Uranus. Assuming similar enhancement for the other condensibles, as expected from formation models, we find that the base of the droplet cloud is at the 370 bars for 30× solar, and at 500 bar for 50× solar cases. On the other hand, noble gases and H2S can be accessed at much shallower levels, and still permit the retrieval of information critical to the formation of these planets and their atmospheres.
Atreya Sushil K.
Wong Angela
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