Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Nov 1983
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1983jgr....88.8667s&link_type=abstract
Journal of Geophysical Research (ISSN 0148-0227), vol. 88, Nov. 1, 1983, p. 8667-8678.
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
70
Extreme Ultraviolet Radiation, Saturn Atmosphere, Solar Radiation, Stellar Occultation, Upper Atmosphere, Abundance, Astronomical Models, Atmospheric Composition, Atmospheric Temperature, Methane, Planetology, Voyager 2 Spacecraft
Scientific paper
The temperature and composition of the upper atmosphere of Saturn have been inferred from Voyager 2 ultraviolet-spectrometer-occultation measurements made by observing the sun and the star Delta Scorpii while they were being occulted by Saturn. The observations analyzed here provide atmospheric parameters from 2900 km down to 960 km above the 1-bar level referred to the equator. The temperature in the model simulation of the data is 420 + or - 30 K down to about 1600 km. Below 1600 km the temperature decreases with a variable lapse rate down to 120 + or - 30 K near the methane homopause located at 1010 + or - 40 km. A constant temperature at 120 K is applied in the model for the region of the methane homopause down to 960 km where the present analysis terminates. Column amounts of H2 and H were measured from 2900 km down to about 1100 km, giving respective densities of about 1.0 x 10 to the 8th/cu cm and about 5.5 x 10 to the 6th/cu cm near the exobase at 2500 km. Near the methane homopause the H2 density is = 1.2 x 10 to the 12th/cu cm with a CH4 number-density mixing ratio of 0.00006. The eddy-diffusion coefficient in the vicinity of the methane homopause is estimated to be 5.0 x 10 to the 6th sq cm/sec. The atomic hydrogen density profile suggests a downward H flux of 1.8 x 10 to the 9th sq cm/sec from near the exobase down to a terminal boundary of about 1200 km.
Broadfoot Lyle A.
Holberg Jay Brian
McConnell John C.
Sandel Bill R.
Shemansky Don E.
No associations
LandOfFree
Saturn's upper atmosphere from the Voyager 2 EUV solar and stellar occultations 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 Saturn's upper atmosphere from the Voyager 2 EUV solar and stellar occultations, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Saturn's upper atmosphere from the Voyager 2 EUV solar and stellar occultations will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1486259