The seasonal variation of the thermal structure of the atmosphere of Uranus

A series of time-dependent radiative/convective models are presented for the atmosphere of Uranus. The effects of atmospheric dynamics have been omitted from the models. The inclination of the pole of rotation to the pole of the orbit, approximately 90°, produces large seasonal changes in the insolation. Because of the relatively small flow of heat from the interior, these seasonal changes cause the effective temperature, which is about 60°K, to vary through the 84-year orbital period by ～5°K at the poles, ～4°K at ±60° latitude, ～2°K at ±30° latitude, and ～0.5°K at the equator. For a particular latitude, the minimum effective temperature and the maximum convective flow of heat from the interior occur near the end of the period when the sun remains below the horizon during the Uranian day. If the methane mixing ratio is not limited by its saturated vapor pressure (SVP) in the convective region, the maximum convective flow would be a few times the orbital average convective flow and persist for an interval of several years. On the other hand, if the methane mixing ratio is limited by its SVP in the convective regions, the maximum convective flow could be orders of magnitude greater than the orbital average and could persist for less than an hour. If the orbital mean internal heat flow is negligible, the difference in effective temperatures between 30 and 60° latitude would be in the range 2 to 4°K. If the internal heat is taken to be about the maximum allowable and is assumed to be redistributed in the interior in a manner to compensate for the minimum in insolation at low latitudes, the corresponding temperature difference would be in the range $\text{1}\text{2}$ to 2°K. In either case, the existing theory of atmospheric dynamics for the outer planets indicates that such large temperature differences will drive large-scale motions which would in turn reduce these temperature differences.     

The upper atmosphere of Neptune: An analysis of occultation observations

An analysis of available observations of the April 7, 1968 occultation of BD ?17° 4388 by Neptune yields upper atmosphere temperatures of ～140°K near the 5 × 10¹⁴cm^?3 level. The temperature structure of the atmosphere at these levels is complicated and nonisothermal. Diurnal temperature variations are certainly less than 10°K and may be absent. The average temperature decreases by less than 15°K between 0° and 55° latitude.     

Energetics and thermal structure of the middle atmosphere

A study of a large number of temperature measurements in the middle atmosphere shows a much more complex thermal structure of this region than described in the U.S. Standard Atmosphere, 1976. The mesopause height which is generally assumed to be at 80 km varies between 70–100 km, often with two minima in temperature at about 70 and 100 km and a maximum between 80–85 km. By solving the energy balance equation and the equations of continuity, the physical significance of the observed thermal structure is discussed in terms of the energetics of the various regions of the middle atmosphere. It is shown that the solar u.v. radiation plays a major role only in the energy budget of the stratosphere and the lower thermosphere. The energetics of the mesosphere is primarily influenced by the dissipation of eddy energy. The temperature in this region is a good indicator of the eddy diffusivity and can be used in deriving the eddy diffusion coefficient.     

Fine structure of the thermal emission of the earth's atmosphere

The difficulties of investigating the composition and structure of the Earth's atmosphere by satellite measurement of the spectral distribution of the outward radiation are discussed. Calculations are made of the contour of isolated emission lines of various intensities at different altitudes in the atmosphere. The change in altitude of the lines' contour under conditions of standard atmospheric stratification is analysed. Line “rotations” and “splitting” phenomena are found. Taking the examples discussed as a basis the importance is shown of investigating the fine structure of the atmosphere's emission spectrum to solve the “converse” problems of atmospheric spectroscopy.     

The thermal structure of the dayside upper atmosphere of venus above 125 km

A one-dimensional model of the Venus thermosphere has been constructed which includes computation of the heating efficiency of solar ultraviolet radiation, heat loss by radiation to space of infrared-active species, thermal transport by molecular and eddy conduction, and viscous dissipation. By comparing model predictions with results obtained from the Pioneer Venus Orbiter space-craft, the results indicate that energy transport parameterized by eddy heat conduction plays a dominant role in determining thermospheric temperature T. It is suggested that there exists a feedback mechanism linking heating and thermospheric circulation such that eddy cooling maintains an asymptotic temperature T_∞～300°K for both solar-maximum and solar-minimum conditions. We also study the variation in thermospheric temperature with solar zenith angle, atomic oxygen-mixing ratio, rate of vibrational excitation of CO₂ by ground-state O atoms, and the assumed transfer of O(¹D) electronic energy to CO₂ vibrational energy.     

The influence of ethane and acetylene upon the thermal structure of the Jovian atmosphere

Ethane and acetylene, both of which possess more efficient emission bands than methane, have been incorporated into a thermal structure model for the atmosphere of Jupiter. Choosing for illustrative purposes the mixing ratios $\text{[}\text{C}{}_2\text{H}{}_6\text{]}\text{[}\text{H}{}_2\text{]}\text{= 10}{}^{\mathrm{?5}}$ and $\text{[}\text{C}{}_2\text{H}{}_2\text{]}\text{[}\text{H}{}_2\text{]}\text{= 5 × 10}{}^{\mathrm{?7}}$, it is found that these hydrocarbon gases lower the atmospheric temperature within the thermal inversion region by as much as 20 K, subsequently reducing the emission intensity of the 7.7 μm CH₄ band below the observed result. It is qualitatively shown, however, that this cooling by C₂H₆ and C₂H₂ could be compensated by aerosol heating resulting from a uniformily mixed aerosol which absorbs 15% of the incident solar radiation. Such aerosol heating has been suggested by uv albedo observations.     

Accurate and approximate calculations of Raman scattering in the atmosphere of Neptune

Raman scattering by H₂ in Neptune's atmosphere has significant effects on its reflectivity for λ<0.5 μm, producing baseline decreases of ∼20% in a clear atmosphere and ∼10% in a hazy atmosphere. However, few accurate Raman calculations are carried out because of their complexity and computational costs. Here we present the first radiation transfer algorithm that includes both polarization and Raman scattering and facilitates computation of spatially resolved spectra. New calculations show that Cochran and Trafton's (1978, Astrophys. J. 219, 756-762) suggestion that light reflected in the deep CH₄ bands is mainly Raman scattered is not valid for current estimates of the CH₄ vertical distribution, which implies only a 4% Raman contribution. Comparisons with IUE, HST, and groundbased observations confirm that high altitude haze absorption is reducing Neptune's geometric albedo by ∼6% in the 0.22-0.26 μm range and by ∼13% in the 0.35-0.45 μm range. A sample haze model with 0.2 optical depths of 0.2-μm radius particles between 0.1 and 0.8 bars fits reasonably well, but is not a unique solution. We used accurate calculations to evaluate several approximations of Raman scattering. The Karkoschka (1994, Icarus 111, 174-192) method of applying Raman corrections to calculated spectra and removing Raman effects from observed spectra is shown to have limited applicability and to undercorrect the depths of weak CH₄ absorption bands. The relatively large Q-branch contribution observed by Karkoschka is shown to be consistent with current estimates of Raman cross-sections. The Wallace (1972, Astrophys. J. 176, 249-257) approximation, produces geometric albedo ∼5% low as originally proposed, but can be made much more accurate by including a scattering contribution from the vibrational transition. The original Pollack et al. (1986, Icarus 65, 442-466) approximation is inaccurate and unstable, but can be greatly improved by several simple modifications. A new approximation based on spectral tuning of the effective molecular single scattering albedo provides low errors for zenith angles below 70° in a clear atmosphere, although intermediate clouds present problems at longer wavelengths.     

Comparative thermal evolution of Uranus and Neptune

We extend a Jovian convective-cooling model to Uranus and Neptune. The model assumes that efficient interior convection prevails, so that escape of interior heat is governed by the radiative properties of the atmosphere. A comparison of the thermal evolution of Uranus and Neptune indicates that the larger amount of solar radiation absorbed in Uranus' atmosphere tends to differentially suppress the escape of interior heat. The model is shown to be consistent with recent infrared observations of the thermal balance of Uranus and Neptune, and with the presumed age of these planets.     

The structure of the Uranus atmosphere

A series of radiative/connvective models is presented for the Uranus atmosphere for various methane-to-hydrogen mixing ratios and internal heat fluxes. The variation of flux through the atmosphere, which is largely defined by absorption of sunlight in methane bands, the partial pressure of methane, which is taken to be limited by saturated vapor pressure, and the temperature structure are all constrained to be self-consistent. From model spectra calculated for the visible, thermal infrared, and microwave regions, it is concluded that the methane-to-hydrogen mixing ratio is greater than 0.01 and probably less than 0.10. The lower limit to the internal heat flux is nonzero but less than ～1/2000th of the total flux. In addition, the specific heat of the molecular hydrogen is found to be very close that that for normal hydrogen, as suggested previously by Trafton. Peculiarities in thermal structure are found to be of no help in understanding the microwave spectrum, but H₂S-to-NH₃ mixing ratios somewhat greater than unity are almostt as good in explaining the spectrum as the precisely unity case ey S. Gulkis, M. A. Janssen and E. T. Olsen (1978, Icarus34, 10–19).     

On the structure and composition of Uranus and Neptune

We present a series of models of Uranus and Neptune in which the relative amounts of (1) rock, (2) ices, and (3) hydrogen and helium are allowed to vary. By fitting the density and the gravitational quadruppole moment, the model composition can be determined. Because of the ambiguity in the rotation periods of these planets, several possible models are presented and discussed.     

The structure of the atmosphere of Uranus

Models of the interior of Uranus (Podolak, 1976) suggest that the abundances of such substances as CH₄ are greatly enhanced with respect to solar abundances of heavy elements. Such enhancement leads to a new type of model atmosphere for Uranus, which agrees with observation if the internal energy flux is small (?10%) compared with the absorbed solar energy. An important feature of the models is the presence of a cloud of CH₄ droplets whose top is at a temperature of ?90°K and a pressure of ?4atm. Above the cloud, the atmosphere is stable because of the rapid decrease of the thermal flux with depth. Being saturated, most of the observable gaseous CH₄ is near the cloud; the CH₄ abundance above the cloud, of the order of 5 km-am, is a very sensitive function of the cloud-top temperature.     

The coarse structure of the solar atmosphere

Observations of the quiet sun at wavelengths from 3 Å to 75 cm show (with two exceptions: the Ovi line at 1032 Å and possibly the continuum at 1.2 mm) either no limb brightening or less than had been supposed. On the other hand, the brightness temperature is observed to increase with wavelength in the millimeter and centimeter range. If this increase is due to greater visibility of hot overlying material, that material ought to be evident at the limb at shorter wavelengths, resulting in limb brightening. The only possible explanation for the absence of limb brightening at almost all wavelengths is that the emitting surface is rough at all wavelengths, with a scale of roughness approximately equal to the scale height at each temperature. Contradictions with existing models, along with the additional observations required for an improved model are discussed.     

Influence of the anomalous thermal conductivity on the structure of the solar atmosphere transition region

The generalized Wiedemann-Franz law for a nonisothermal quasi-neutral plasma with developed ion-acoustic turbulence and Coulomb collisions has been proven. The results obtained are used to explain the anomalously low thermal conductivity in the chromosphere-corona transition region of the solar atmosphere. Model temperature distributions in the lower corona and the transition region that correspond to well-known experimental data have been determined. The results obtained are useful for explaining the abrupt change in turbulent-plasma temperature at distances smaller than the particle mean free path.     

Deduction of vertical thermal structure of a planetary atmosphere from a satellite

An inversion technique is developed for deducing the temperature stratification of a planetary atmosphere from the variation of the emission spectrum with air mass. This is a planetary application of the well-known solar limb-darkening effect. Mathematically, the emergent intensity is an integral transform of the Planckian temperature taken as a function of optical depth. The solution therefore consists in devising a scheme for inverting the transform.Pending satellite observations, the following approach is used for the verification of the theory. Ground observations of the emission of the 9·6 μ ozone band as a function of air mass thickness have been taken. These radiative data provide information on ozone “at a distance”, in a manner similar to the remote satellite viewing from above. Four sets of ozone emission data have been analysed and the vertical thermal structure of the ozonosphere deduced therefrom. A critique of the method together with future research directions is given.     

Constraints on bulk composition,seasonal variation,and global dynamics of Pluto's atmosphere

Cosmic abundance, vapor pressure, and molecular weight considerations restrict the likely gas candidates for Pluto's atmosphere to Ne, N₂, CO, O₂, and Ar, in addition to the already detected CH₄. The vapor pressures and cosmic abundances of these gases indicate that all except Ne should be saturated in Pluto's atmosphere. The vapor pressure of Ne is so high that the existence of solid or liquid Ne on Pluto's surface is very unlikely; cosmic abundance arguments imply that Ne cannot attain saturation in Pluto's atmosphere. At both perihelion, N₂ should dominate the saturated gases. CO₂ should have the next highest mixing ratio, followed by O₂ and Ar. CH₄ should have the smallest mixing ratio. Because vapor pressures of these gases vary with temperature at diverse rates, the bulk and constituent mixing ratios of Pluto's atmosphere should vary with season. Between perihelion and aphelion, the column abundance of CH₄ may change by a factor of 260 while that of N₂ changes by only a factor of 52. The potential seasonal variation of Pluto's atmosphere was investigated by considering the behavior of these gases when individually mixed with CH₄. The effects of diurnal and latitudinal variation of insolation and eclipses on the atmosphere also were investigated. Seasonal effects are shown to dominate. It was shown that the atmospheric bulk may not be a minimum near aphelion but rather at intermediate distances from the Sun during summer/winter inadequate ice deposits may allow the atmosphere to collapse by freezing out over winter latitudes. If the atmosphere does not collapse, its weight is sufficient to keep it distributed uniformly around Pluto's surface. In this case, the atmosphere tends to regulate the surface temperature to a seasonally dependent value which is uniform over the globe.Finally, the likely global circulation regimes for each model atmosphere as a function of temperature were investigated and it was concluded that if CH₄, O₂, or CO dominates the atmosphere, Pluto will exhibit cyclic variations between an axially symmetric circulation system at perihelion and a baroclinic wave regime at aphelion. However, if N₂ dominates, as is likely, the wave regime should hold continuously. If the atmosphere collapses to a thin halo during summer/winter seasons, only a weak, symmetric circulation should occur.     

The dynamics of inclined Neptune Trojans

We investigated the stable area for fictive Trojan asteroids around Neptune’s Lagrangean equilibrium points with respect to their semimajor axis and inclination. To get a first impression of the stability region we derived a symplectic mapping for the circular and the elliptic planar restricted three body problem. The dynamical model for the numerical integrations was the outer Solar system with the Sun and the planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. To understand the dynamics of the region around L ₄ and L ₅ for the Neptune Trojans we also used eight different dynamical models (from the elliptic problem to the full outer Solar system model with all giant planets) and compared the results with respect to the largeness and shape of the stable region. Their dependence on the initial inclinations (0° < i < 70°) of the Trojans’ orbits could be established for all the eight models and showed the primary influence of Uranus. In addition we could show that an asymmetry of the regions around L ₄ and L ₅ is just an artifact of the different initial conditions.     

The configuration of the loop-like structure of the solar atmosphere

An integral, governing steady flows in an isolated thin magnetic flux tube in the hydrostatic plane-stratified atmosphere, has been obtained. The integral, that we named as the shape integral, is expressed as (1 − M_A²)B cos θ = const. Here M_A² is the Alfven Mach number, B is the magnetic field strength and θ is the flux tube inclination to the horizontal. The shape integral should hold for most loop models because it represents just the momentum balance laws and has no relation to any energy balance mode. Its application to the isothermal and static cases is discussed and illustrated.     

Contribution of the atmosphere to the seasonal changes in earth's rotation

Using new data of atmospheric angular momentum for the period 1975–1995, the contributions of the atmosphere to the changes in LCD and polar motion on the seasonal time scale are investigated. The results show that, when the effects of wind and atmospheric pressure are considered, the atmosphere's contribution on the annual and semi-annual time scales may reach, respectively, 95% and 88%. We also give some quantitative results of the atmosphere's excitation of polar motion. On the annual time scale, the contribution to the X-component of polar motion is 16% and that to the Y-component is 43%. On the semi-annual time scale, the contributions to the X- and Y-components are, respectively, 9% and 30%. From the above results, it is clear that the contribution of the ocean should also be included in a more complete solution of the problem of excitation of the earth's rotation.     

Indications of supersaturated stratospheric methane in Neptune from its atmospheric thermal profile

An iterative inversion method is used to retrieve the thermal structure of Neptune from available infrared measurements. The most plausible thermal profile leads to an effective temperature of 58.4°K, implying the presence of an internal heat source equal to about 1.6 times the solar-absorbed power. The interpretation of Neptunian infrared measurements in the 8-μm range requires a very strong supersaturation of CH₄ in the upper atmosphere of the planet.