Scintillations during occultations by planets. I - an approximate theory

Details Scintillations during occultations by planets. I - an approximate theory Scintillations during occultations by planets. I - an approximate theory

Mar 1976

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1976icar...27..335y&link_type=abstract

Icarus, vol. 27, Mar. 1976, p. 335-357.

Other

13

Planetary Atmospheres, Scintillation, Stellar Occultation, Atmospheric Models, Atmospheric Stratification, Atmospheric Turbulence, Jupiter Atmosphere

Scientific paper

Fluctuations are observed during occultations of both stars and spacecraft by planetary atmospheres. Existing treatments of spacecraft scintillations ignore a major effect unique to occultations: the severe flattening of the Fresnel zone or source image by defocusing. Other large effects, due to 'saturation' of the scintillation, have also been ignored. The deeper portions of atmospheric temperature and density profiles inferred from occultation data are seriously in error if other planets' atmospheres are as turbulent as our own. Thus, profiles obtained from entry probes (e.g., the Soviet Venera series) are probably more accurate than those from radio occultation (Mariner 5 and 10) data. Scintillation greatly reduces the information obtainable from occultation observations; much of the detail attributed to layering in published profiles is probably due to aliasing of turbulence. This paper gives an approximately correct theoretical treatment that is a substantial improvement over published theories, and shows how a more accurate theory could be constructed. Some methods for a more accurate determination of atmospheric structure are proposed.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Scintillations during occultations by planets. I - an approximate theory 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 Scintillations during occultations by planets. I - an approximate theory, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Scintillations during occultations by planets. I - an approximate theory will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1219176