Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Sep 2008
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008dps....40.5003t&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #40, #50.03; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 40, p.488
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
During the past 21 years constituting a Uranus season (orbital period 84 yr), Uranus' dynamical activity has increased faster and farther than expected. As participants in the Uranus at Equinox campaign, we observed Uranus with HST/NICMOS in Aug 2007 when the rings were edge-on as viewed from the Earth. Four visits sampled four longitude quadrants for complete coverage in longitude and latitude. Observations were made through narrow-band and broad-band filters that sample the broadest range of altitudes available to the NICMOS camera. Our results include a very bright and energetic northern feature observed over two visits near and away from the limb, respectively, and a thicker polar limb haze in the south than in the north, suggesting ongoing seasonal (fall) cooling and condensation. In addition, a northern polar collar appears to be developing that is symmetric with the southern polar collar. Uranus' vertical aerosol structure is constrained by the near-IR reflectivity as a function of wavelength, and by the wavelength-dependent, longitudinal center-to-limb profile as a function of latitude. We will present preliminary results on the structure. Continued observation of Uranus in the years following equinox is needed in order to understand the actual seasonal changes and constrain seasonal models.
Hammel Heidi Beth
Trafton Laurence M.
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