Physics
Scientific paper
Jul 1996
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1996hst..prop.6692b&link_type=abstract
HST Proposal ID #6692
Physics
Hst Proposal Id #6692 Solar System
Scientific paper
We propose to obtain high resolution profiles of the D Lymanalpha line emitted by the limb of the upper atmosphere Saturn,using the GHRS Echelle A and the LSA. Ourtechnique consists in a radial drift of the LSA slit acrossthe limb of the planet. This is much like the very efficientoccultation technique although we record reflected instead oftransmitted light. As the deuterium emission is opticallythin, the analysis of the resulting profiles will provide,through our photochemistry models and radiative transfercalculations, the possibility for the first time to retrievethe deuterium scale height and abundance at least in four locationsof the upper atmosphere of Saturn. Scale heights at differentlocations derived from the D Ly-alpha emission, and the analysis of theH Ly-alpha profile, obtained with each limb observation, will accuratelyprovide the H total column density. A precise estimate of theD/H ratio will therefore be inferred. Recently, wesuccessfully applied the technique to observe the limb ofJupiter with the medium resolution grating G160M. The inferredD/H ratio ~ 6+/- 1 * 10^-5 seems to support the measurementsmade through HD/H2 rather than CH3D/CH4. The uncertainty onthis value could be reduced if high resolution observationswith Echelle A are conducted. This should confirm the newlyderived ratio and check the D/H ratio for Saturn.Ultimately, this will help to refine the scenario on theformation and the evolution our Solar System 4.5 billionsyears ago.
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