Observations of CH4, C2H6, and C2H2in the Stratosphere of Jupiter
1998; Elsevier BV; Volume: 136; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1006/icar.1998.6021
ISSN1090-2643
AutoresPedro V. Sada, G. Bjoraker, Donald E. Jennings, G. H. McCabe, P. N. Romani,
Tópico(s)Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies
ResumoWe have performed high-resolution spectral observations at mid-infrared wavelengths of CH4(8.14 μm), C2H6(12.16 μm), and C2H2(13.45 μm) on Jupiter. These emission features probe the stratosphere of the planet and provide information on the carbon-based photochemical processes taking place in that region of the atmosphere. The observations were performed using our cryogenic echelle spectrometer CELESTE, in conjunction with the McMath–Pierce 1.5-m solar telescope between November 1994 and February 1995. We used the methane observations to derive the temperature profile of the jovian atmosphere in the 1–10 mbar region of the stratosphere. This profile was then used in conjunction with height-dependent mixing ratios of each hydrocarbon to determine global abundances for ethane and acetylene. The resulting mixing ratios are 3.9+1.9−1.3× 10−6for C2H6(5 mbar pressure level), and 2.3 ± 0.5 × 10−8for C2H2(8 mbar pressure level), where the quoted uncertainties are derived from model variations in the temperature profile which match the methane observation uncertainties.
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