Investigating Pluto's Troposphere Using a Radiative-conductive-convective Model and Stellar Occultation Data

Details Investigating Pluto's Troposphere Using a Radiative-conductive-convective Model and Stellar Occultation Data Investigating Pluto's Troposphere Using a Radiative-conductive-convective Model and Stellar Occultation Data

Oct 2010

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010dps....42.2004z&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #42, #20.04; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 42, p.983

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

Scientific paper

We use the radiative-conductive model of Strobel et al. 1996 (Icarus 120, 266-289) to calculate a set of occultation light curves for Pluto. The model has been improved to include the effects of moist convection with respect to methane at low altitudes, thus enabling a troposphere. We consider surface radius, surface pressure, and tropopause depth as model free parameters. The methane mixing ratio and CO mixing ratio are both held constant, as the model light curves are least sensitive to these parameters. The model light curves are compared with 2006 Siding Spring data (Elliot et al. 2007, Astron J. 134, 1-13), 2002 UH 2.2m data (Elliot et al. 2003, Nature 424, 165-168), and 1988 KAO data (Elliot et al. 1989, Icarus 77, 148-170). In determining the best-fit model light curve, we find that the surface pressure and tropopause depth are highly correlated, such that higher surface pressure corresponds to higher tropopause depth. This relationship is understandable from a physical standpoint, since extending the atmosphere downwards naturally produces a higher surface pressure. We also find that a lower surface radius and higher surface pressure are required to fit the data compared to model light curves in which the troposphere is excluded. Our analysis improves upon previous studies featuring tropopause depth in that we use a sophisticated radiative transfer model that requires the constraint of heat balance, going beyond purely idealized temperature structures. This work was supported in part by NASA grants NNX08AE92G and NNX07AK73G. DFS acknowledges support from the New Horizons Mission through SWRI Contract No. 277043Q and NASA grant NNG05GO91G.

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