Coupled Sulfur and Chlorine Chemistry in Venus' Upper Cloud Layer

Details Coupled Sulfur and Chlorine Chemistry in Venus' Upper Cloud Layer Coupled Sulfur and Chlorine Chemistry in Venus' Upper Cloud Layer

Sep 2006

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006dps....38.2606m&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #38, #26.06; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 38, p.525

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

Scientific paper

Venus' atmosphere likely contains a rich variety of sulfur and chlorine compounds because HCl, SO2, and OCS have all been observed. Photodissociation of CO2 and SO2 in the upper cloud layer produces oxygen which can react directly or indirectly with SO2 to form SO3 and eventually H2SO4. Photodissociation of HCl within and above the upper cloud layer produces chlorine which can react with CO and O2 to form ClCO and ClC(O)OO. These two species have been identified as potentially critical intermediaries in the production of CO2. Much less work has been done on the potential coupling between sulfur and chlorine chemistry that may occur within the upper cloud layer. Several aspects have been examined in recent modeling: (1) linkage of the CO2 and sulfur oxidation cycles (based on ideas from Yung and DeMore, 1982), (2) reaction of Cl with SO2 to form ClSO2 (based on ideas from DeMore et al., 1985), and (3) the chemistry of SmCln for m,n = 1,2 (based on preliminary work in Mills, 1998). Initial results suggest the chemistry of SmCln may provide a pathway for accelerated production of polysulfur, Sx, if the oxygen abundance in the upper cloud layer is as small as is implied by the observational limit on O2 (Trauger and Lunine, 1983). Initial results also suggest that ClSO2 can act as a buffer which helps increase the scale height of SO2 and decrease the rate of production of H2SO4. This presentation will describe the results from this modeling; discuss their potential implications for the CO2, sulfur oxidation, and polysulfur cycles; and outline key observations from Venus Express that can help resolve existing questions concerning the chemistry of Venus' upper cloud. Partial funding for this research was provided by the Australian Research Council.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Coupled Sulfur and Chlorine Chemistry in Venus' Upper Cloud Layer does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Coupled Sulfur and Chlorine Chemistry in Venus' Upper Cloud Layer, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Coupled Sulfur and Chlorine Chemistry in Venus' Upper Cloud Layer will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-999460