The Vertical Structure and Phosphine Distribution on Saturn as Determined by Cassini/VIMS

Details The Vertical Structure and Phosphine Distribution on Saturn as Determined by Cassini/VIMS The Vertical Structure and Phosphine Distribution on Saturn as Determined by Cassini/VIMS

Dec 2006

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006agufm.p41c1292t&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2006, abstract #P41C-1292

Physics

5704 Atmospheres (0343, 1060), 5709 Composition (1060), 6275 Saturn

Scientific paper

We present the preliminary results of our study on the variations of (1) the vertical aerosol layer structure and (2) the phosphine (PH3) distribution on Saturn, utilizing Cassini/VIMS spectral imagery. From the Cassini/VIMS infrared channel spectral data of Saturn acquired in 2004, we sample a dozen pixels at each of the following four latitudes (-10, -27, -47, and -73 degree) to create a set of multi-spectral center-limb profiles for our radiative transfer analysis. We first fit the NIR methane band spectra to determine the altitude of the upper tropospheric haze at the four latitudes, using the newest CH4 near-infrared correlated-k coefficients (Irwin et al. 2006, Icarus, 181, 309-319) and a multi-layer model. This latitudinal variation in the haze altitude is an important clue to unveil Saturn's global climate system. On that basis, we fit the phosphine band spectrum near 3 micron to constrain the phosphine column abundance, using recently published PH3 absorption data sets (Temma et al. 2006, JGR, accepted). Since phosphine is a disequilibrium species in Saturn's upper atmosphere, its increase suggests enhanced convective activity from the deep interior. We thus map the latitudinal phosphine distribution on Saturn, including the analysis of the south polar region where an anomalously strong phosphine absorption was reported (Baines et al. 2005, Earth, Moon, and Planets, 96, 119--147). This work was carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under contract with NASA. The first author of this presentation is supported by the NASA Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

The Vertical Structure and Phosphine Distribution on Saturn as Determined by Cassini/VIMS 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 The Vertical Structure and Phosphine Distribution on Saturn as Determined by Cassini/VIMS, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The Vertical Structure and Phosphine Distribution on Saturn as Determined by Cassini/VIMS will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-962043