Jupiter's ammonia clouds—localized or ubiquitous?

From an analysis of the Galileo Near Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (NIMS) data, Baines et al. (Icarus 159 (2002) 74) have reported that spectrally identifiable ammonia clouds (SIACs) cover less than 1% of Jupiter. Localized ammonia clouds have been identified also in the Cassini Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) observations (Planet. Space Sci. 52 (2004a) 385). Yet, ground-based, satellite and spacecraft observations show that clouds exist everywhere on Jupiter. Thermochemical models also predict that Jupiter must be covered with clouds, with the top layer made up of ammonia ice. For a solar composition atmosphere, models predict the base of the ammonia clouds to be at 720 mb, at 1000 mb if N/H were 4×solar, and at 0.5 bar for depleted ammonia of 10⁻²×solar (Planet. Space Sci. 47 (1999) 1243). Thus, the above NIMS and CIRS findings are seemingly at odds with other observations and cloud physics models. We suggest that the clouds of ammonia ice are ubiquitous on Jupiter, but that spectral identification of all but the freshest of the ammonia clouds and high altitude ammonia haze is inhibited by a combination of (i) dusting, starting with hydrocarbon haze particles falling from Jupiter's stratosphere and combining with an even much larger source—the hydrazine haze; (ii) cloud properties, including ammonia aerosol particle size effects. In this paper, we investigate the role of photochemical haze and find that a substantial amount of haze material can deposit on the upper cloud layer of Jupiter, possibly enough to mask its spectral signature. The stratospheric haze particles result from condensation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), whereas hydrazine ice is formed from ammonia photochemistry. We anticipate similar conditions to prevail on Saturn.     

Jupiter’s hot spots: Quantitative assessment of the retrieval capabilities of future IR spectro-imagers

Jupiter’s atmosphere presents limited regions of relatively thin cloud coverage (the so-called ‘hot spots’), which allow thermal radiation by warmer, deeper atmospheric layers to be transmitted directly to space. Hot spots therefore represent a means for probing physical conditions (namely chemical composition) below the main aerosol deck.Forthcoming missions to the Jovian system - Juno and EJSM spacecrafts - will host as payload components spectro-imagers operating in the infrared. Their coverage of 5 μm CH₄ transparency windows make them particularly suitable for the investigation of hot spots. This study is an assessment of their retrieval capabilities on the evaluation of gaseous mixing ratios from nighttime observations, on the basis of Bayesian theory.The retrieval performance is evaluated for the JIRAM instrument, a confirmed payload component of Juno. Its data will provide effective constraints on the mixing ratios of water vapor between 40 and 70 km below the reference 1 bar pressure level (between 3.5 and 7 bars). Assuming an a priori correlation length equal to half the scale height, we achieve a minimum retrieval uncertainty of 0.17, once the mixing ratio is given in terms of log₁₀(α), with α being the adimensional mixing ratio (vs. altitude) relative to a given reference profile. The JIRAM-Juno dataset will further allow determination of the ammonia mixing ratio, with a minimum relative retrieval uncertainty of 0.32 in the same altitude range, and of the phosphine mixing ratio, with comparable uncertainty up to the reference altitude.The retrieval performance is evaluated for a second instrument VIRHIS, which is a proposed payload component of Jupiter Ganymede Orbiter (JGO), one of the two spacecrafts of Europa-Jupiter System Mission (EJSM). This instrument has the benefit of higher spectral resolution and extended spectral range, when compared to JIRAM-Juno. Evaluation of the water vapor retrieval shows the uncertainty would be reduced to 0.08 with VIRHIS. The ammonia retrieval range would be expanded up to 10 km (0.66 bar), with a minimum uncertainty value of 0.10.Both instruments will place these measurements in a spatial context due to their simultaneous imaging capabilities, enabling therefore a number of studies covering chemical and dynamical aspects of atmospheric evolution.     

Galileo long-term dust monitoring in the jovian magnetosphere

The Galileo spacecraft was launched in 1989, and—between 1995 and 2003—was the first spacecraft in orbit about Jupiter. The in-situ dust instrument on board was a highly sensitive impact-ionisation dust detector which measured the speed, mass and impact direction of dust particles hitting a metal target. It provided a unique 12-year record of cosmic dust in interplanetary and circumjovian space. Degradation of the instrument electronics caused by the harsh radiation environment in the inner jovian magnetosphere was recognised in various ways: the sensitivity for dust detection dropped by a factor of 7.5 between 1996 and 2003 while the noise sensitivity decreased by up to a factor of 100. Shifts in the parameters measured during dust impacts and noise events (charge amplitudes and signal rise times, etc.) required a time-dependent algorithm for noise identification. After noise removal a total of 21 224 complete data sets for dust impacts (i.e. impact charges, signal rise times, impact direction, etc.) is available from the entire Galileo mission between 1989 and 2003 (18 340 data sets from the Jupiter mission after 1996). This homogeneous data set has been used in many investigations of jovian dust published already or ongoing. Electronics degradation prevents the application of the mass and speed calibration to data obtained after 2000. Only in cases where the impact speed of grains is known by other means can grain masses be derived for later measurements. The drop of the detection sensitivity also required a time-dependent correction for fluxes of jovian dust streams, reaching a factor of 20 in 2002. We use the derived homogeneous noise-removed data set for long-term monitoring of the jovian dust streams with Galileo. The derived fluxes of dust stream particles were highly variable by about five orders of magnitude, between 3×10^-3 and and exhibited strong orbit-to-orbit variability. This extensive and valuable data set is available for further detailed investigations.     

Connecting atmospheric science and atmospheric models for aerocapture at Titan and the outer planets

Many atmospheric measurement systems, such as the sounding instruments on Voyager, gather atmospheric information in the form of temperature versus pressure level. In these terms, there is considerable consistency among the mean atmospheric profiles of the outer planets Jupiter through Neptune, including Titan. On a given planet or on Titan, the range of variability of temperature versus pressure level due to seasonal, latitudinal, and diurnal variations is also not large. However, many engineering needs for atmospheric models relate not to temperature versus pressure level but atmospheric density versus geometric altitude. This need is especially true for design and analysis of aerocapture systems. Drag force available for aerocapture is directly proportional to atmospheric density. Available aerocapture “corridor width” (allowable range of atmospheric entry angle) also depends on height rate of change of atmospheric density, as characterized by density scale height. Characteristics of hydrostatics and the gas law equation mean that relatively small systematic differences in temperature versus pressure profiles can integrate at high altitudes to very large differences in density versus altitude profiles. Thus, a given periapsis density required to accomplish successful aerocapture can occur at substantially different altitudes (∼150-300 km) on the various outer planets, and significantly different density scale heights (∼20-50 km) can occur at these periapsis altitudes. This paper will illustrate these effects and discuss implications for improvements in atmospheric measurements to yield significant impact on design of aerocapture systems for future missions to Titan and the outer planets. Relatively small-scale atmospheric perturbations, such as gravity waves, tides, and other atmospheric variations can also have significant effect on design details for aerocapture guidance and control systems. This paper will discuss benefits that would result from improved understanding of Titan and outer planetary atmospheric perturbation characteristics. Details of recent engineering-level atmospheric models for Titan and Neptune will be presented, and effects of present and future levels of atmospheric uncertainty and variability characteristics will be examined.     

Potential of radiotelescopes for atmospheric line observations: I. Observation principles and transmission curves for selected sites

Existing and planned radiotelescopes working in the millimetre (mm) and sub-millimetre wavelengths range provide the possibility to be used for atmospheric line observations. To scrutinize this potential, we outline the differences and similarities in technical equipment and observing techniques between ground-based aeronomy mm-wave radiometers and radiotelescopes. Comprehensive tables summarizing the technical characteristics of existing and future (sub)-mm radiotelescopes are given. The advantages and disadvantages using radiotelescopes for atmospheric line observations are discussed. In view of the importance of exploring the sub-mm and far-infrared wavelengths range for astronomical observations and atmospheric sciences, we present model calculations of the atmospheric transmission for selected telescope sites (DOME-C/Antarctica, ALMA/Chajnantor, JCMT and CSO on Mauna Kea/Hawaii, KOSMA/Swiss Alpes) for frequencies between 0 and 2000 GHz () and typical atmospheric conditions using the forward model MOLIERE (version 5). For the DOME-C site, the transmission over a larger range of up to 10 THz () is calculated in order to demonstrate the quality of an Earth-bound site for mid-IR observations. All results are available on a dedicated webpage.     

The project “spice”

Proposed to both the French and the European Space Agency as one possible small mission, SPICE is a project for a dedicated small satellite for a near-IR spectroscopic all-sky survey. The instrument would cover the spectral range 1.8 - 3.6µm, possibly extended to 1.8 - 7µm, at a resolution of 100, with pixels of 1 arc-min. The excellent sensitivity (0.02 MJy sr-1) results from: i) the quasi-zero level of background due to the efficient passive cooling of the whole experiment; ii) the use of large format arrays; iii) the non-stop observing mode (drift-scanning). The spectral domain, complementing the one of ISO, partially opaque from the ground, is specially rich in spectral features tracing stars and all components of the Interstellar Medium (molecular, atomic and ionized gas, dust). With a cooling below 80 K of the focal instrument, then it becomes possible to consider doubling the spectral domain and to cover the whole 1.8 - 7µm range.     

The atmospheric influence, size and possible asteroidal nature of the July 2009 Jupiter impactor

Near-infrared and mid-infrared observations of the site of the 2009 July 19 impact of an unknown object with Jupiter were obtained within days of the event. The observations were used to assess the properties of a particulate debris field, elevated temperatures, and the extent of ammonia gas redistributed from the troposphere into Jupiter’s stratosphere. The impact strongly influenced the atmosphere in a central region, as well as having weaker effects in a separate field to its west, similar to the Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 (SL9) impact sites in 1994. Temperatures were elevated by as much as 6 K at pressures of about 50-70 mbar in Jupiter’s lower stratosphere near the center of the impact site, but no changes above the noise level (1 K) were observed in the upper stratosphere at atmospheric pressures less than ∼1 mbar. The impact transported at least ∼2 × 10¹⁵ g of gas from the troposphere to the stratosphere, an amount less than derived for the SL9 C fragment impact. From thermal heating and mass-transport considerations, the diameter of the impactor was roughly in the range of 200-500 m, assuming a mean density of 2.5 g/cm³. Models with temperature perturbations and ammonia redistribution alone are unable to fit the observed thermal emission; non-gray emission from particulate emission is needed. Mid-infrared spectroscopy of material delivered by the impacting body implies that, in addition to a silicate component, it contains a strong signature that is consistent with silica, distinguishing it from SL9, which contained no evidence for silica. Because no comet has a significant abundance of silica, this result is more consistent with a “rocky” or “asteroidal” origin for the impactor than an “icy” or “cometary” one. This is surprising because the only objects generally considered likely to collide with Jupiter and its satellites are Jupiter-Family Comets, whose populations appear to be orders of magnitude larger than the Jupiter-encountering asteroids. Nonetheless, our conclusion that there is good evidence for at least a major asteroidal component of the impactor composition is also consistent both with constraints on the geometry of the impactor and with results of contemporaneous Hubble Space Telescope observations. If the impact was not simply a statistical fluke, then our conclusion that the impactor contained more rocky material than was the case for the desiccated Comet SL9 implies a larger population of Jupiter-crossing asteroidal bodies than previously estimated, an asteroidal component within the Jupiter-Family Comet population, or compositional differentiation within these bodies.     

The Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS) onboard the European Mars Express mission

The Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS) for the Mars Express mission is an infrared spectrometer optimised for atmospheric studies. This instrument has a short wave (SW) channel that covers the spectral range from 1700 to (1.2-) and a long-wave (LW) channel that covers 250- (5.5-). Both channels have a uniform spectral resolution of . The instrument field of view FOV is about 1.6^° (FWHM) for the Short Wavelength channel (SW) and 2.8^° (FWHM) for the Long Wavelength channel (LW) which corresponds to a spatial resolution of 7 and 12 km when Mars is observed from an height of 250  km. PFS can provide unique data necessary to improve our knowledge not only of the atmosphere properties but also about mineralogical composition of the surface and the surface-atmosphere interaction.The SW channel uses a PbSe detector cooled to 200-220 K while the LW channel is based on a pyroelectric (L_iT_aO₃) detector working at room temperature. The intensity of the interferogram is measured every 150 nm of physical mirrors displacement, corresponding to 600 nm optical path difference, by using a laser diode monochromatic light interferogram (a sine wave), whose zero crossings control the double pendulum motion. PFS works primarily around the pericentre of the orbit, only occasionally observing Mars from large distances. Each measurements take 4 s, with a repetition time of 8.5 s. By working roughly 0.6 h around pericentre, a total of 330 measurements per orbit will be acquired 270 looking at Mars and 60 for calibrations. PFS is able to take measurements at all local times, facilitating the retrieval of surface temperatures and atmospheric vertical temperature profiles on both the day and the night side.     

A Martian PFS average spectrum: Comparison with ISO SWS

The evaluation of the planetary Fourier spectrometer performance at Mars is presented by comparing an average spectrum with the ISO spectrum published by Lellouch et al. [2000. Planet. Space Sci. 48, 1393.]. First, the average conditions of Mars atmosphere are compared, then the mixing ratios of the major gases are evaluated. Major and minor bands of CO₂ are compared, from the point of view of features characteristics and bands depth. The spectral resolution is also compared using several solar lines. The result indicates that PFS radiance is valid to better than 1% in the wavenumber range 1800-4200 cm⁻¹ for the average spectrum considered (1680 measurements). The PFS monochromatic transfer function generates an overshooting on the left-hand side of strong narrow lines (solar or atmospheric). The spectral resolution of PFS is of the order of 1.3 cm⁻¹ or better. A large number of narrow features to be identified are discovered.     

Long slit spectropolarimetry of Jupiter and Saturn

We present ground-based limb polarization measurements of Jupiter and Saturn consisting of full disk imaging polarimetry for the wavelength 7300 Å and spatially resolved (long-slit) spectropolarimetry covering the wavelength range 5200-9350 Å.For the polar region of Jupiter we find for λ = 6000 Å a very strong radial (perpendicular to the limb) fractional polarization with a seeing corrected maximum of about +11.5% in the South and +10.0% in the North. This indicates that the polarizing haze layer is thicker at the South pole. The polar haze layers extend down to 58° in latitude. The derived polarization values are much higher than reported in previous studies because of the better spatial resolution of our data and an appropriate consideration of the atmospheric seeing. Model calculations demonstrate that the high limb polarization can be explained by strongly polarizing (p ≈ 1.0), high albedo (ω ≈ 0.98) haze particles with a scattering asymmetry parameter of g ≈ 0.6 as expected for aggregate particles of the type described by West and Smith (West, R.A., Smith, P.H. [1991]. Icarus 90, 330-333). The deduced particle parameters are distinctively different when compared to lower latitude regions.The spectropolarimetry of Jupiter shows a decrease in the polar limb polarization towards longer wavelengths and a significantly enhanced polarization in strong methane bands when compared to the adjacent continuum. This is a natural outcome for a highly polarizing haze layer above an atmosphere where multiple scatterings are suppressed in absorption bands. For lower latitudes the fractional polarization is small, negative, and it depends only little on wavelength except for the strong CH₄-band at 8870 Å.The South pole of Saturn shows a lower polarization (p ≈ 1.0-1.5%) than the poles of Jupiter. The spectropolarimetric signal for Saturn decrease rapidly with wavelength and shows no significant enhancements in the fractional polarization in the absorption bands. These properties can be explained by a vertically extended stratospheric haze region composed of small particles <100 nm as suggested previously by Karkoschka and Tomasko (Karkoschka, E., Tomasko, M. [2005]. Icarus 179, 195-221).In addition we find in the V- and R-band a previously not observed strong polarization feature (p = 1.5-2.0%) near the equator of Saturn. The origin of this polarization signal is unclear but it could be related to a seasonal effect.Finally we discuss the potential of ground-based limb polarization measurements for the investigation of the scattering particles in the atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn.     

UV and IR auroral emission model for the outer planets: Jupiter and Saturn comparison

Planetary aurora display the dynamic behavior of the plasma gas surrounding a planet. The outer planetary aurora are most often observed in the ultraviolet (UV) and the infrared (IR) wavelengths. How the emissions in these different wavelengths are connected with the background physical conditions are not yet well understood. Here we investigate the sensitivity of UV and IR emissions to the incident precipitating auroral electrons and the background atmospheric temperature, and compare the results obtained for Jupiter and Saturn. We develop a model which estimates UV and IR emission rates accounting for UV absorption by hydrocarbons, ion chemistry, and non-LTE effects. Parameterization equations are applied to estimate the ionization and excitation profiles in the H₂ atmosphere caused by auroral electron precipitation. The dependences of UV and IR emissions on electron flux are found to be similar at Jupiter and Saturn. However, the dependences of the emissions on electron energy are different at the two planets, especially for low energy (<10 keV) electrons; the UV and IR emissions both decrease with decreasing electron energy, but this effect in the IR is less at Saturn than at Jupiter. The temperature sensitivity of the IR emission is also greater at Saturn than at Jupiter. These dependences are interpreted as results of non-LTE effects on the atmospheric temperature and density profiles. The different dependences of the UV and IR emissions on temperature and electron energy at Saturn may explain the different appearance of polar emissions observed at UV and IR wavelengths, and the differences from those observed at Jupiter. These results lead to the prediction that the differences between the IR and UV aurora at Saturn may be more significant than those at Jupiter. We consider in particular the occurrence of bright polar infrared emissions at Saturn and quantitatively estimate the conditions for such IR-only emissions to appear.     

Multi-wavelength simulations of atmospheric radiation from Io with a 3-D spherical-shell backward Monte Carlo radiative transfer model

Conflicting observations regarding the dominance of either sublimation or volcanism as the source of the atmosphere on Io and disparate reports on the extent of its spatial distribution and the absolute column abundance invite the development of detailed computational models capable of improving our understanding of Io’s unique atmospheric structure and origin. Improving upon previous models, Walker et al. (Walker, A.C., Gratiy, S.L., Levin, D.A., Goldstein, D.B., Varghese, P.L., Trafton, L.M., Moore, C.H., Stewart, B. [2009]. Icarus) developed a fully 3-D global rarefied gas dynamics model of Io’s atmosphere including both sublimation and volcanic sources of SO₂ gas. The fidelity of the model is tested by simulating remote observations at selected wavelength bands and comparing them to the corresponding astronomical observations of Io’s atmosphere. The simulations are performed with a new 3-D spherical-shell radiative transfer code utilizing a backward Monte Carlo method. We present: (1) simulations of the mid-infrared disk-integrated spectra of Io’s sunlit hemisphere at 19 μm, obtained with TEXES during 2001-2004; (2) simulations of disk-resolved images at Lyman-α obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) during 1997-2001; and (3) disk-integrated simulations of emission line profiles in the millimeter wavelength range obtained with the IRAM-30 m telescope in October-November 1999. We found that the atmospheric model generally reproduces the longitudinal variation in band depth from the mid-infrared data; however, the best match is obtained when our simulation results are shifted ∼30° toward lower orbital longitudes. The simulations of Lyman-α images do not reproduce the mid-to-high latitude bright patches seen in the observations, suggesting that the model atmosphere sustains columns that are too high at those latitudes. The simulations of emission line profiles in the millimeter spectral region support the hypothesis that the atmospheric dynamics favorably explains the observed line widths, which are too wide to be formed by thermal Doppler broadening alone.     

Rosetta-Alice observations of exospheric hydrogen and oxygen on Mars

The European Space Agency’s Rosetta spacecraft, en route to a 2014 encounter with comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, made a gravity assist swing-by of Mars on 25 February 2007, closest approach being at 01:54 UT. The Alice instrument on board Rosetta, a lightweight far-ultraviolet imaging spectrograph optimized for in situ cometary spectroscopy in the 750-2000 Å spectral band, was used to study the daytime Mars upper atmosphere including emissions from exospheric hydrogen and oxygen. Offset pointing, obtained five hours before closest approach, enabled us to detect and map the H i Lyman-α and Lyman-β emissions from exospheric hydrogen out beyond 30,000 km from the planet’s center. These data are fit with a Chamberlain exospheric model from which we derive the hydrogen density at the 200 km exobase and the H escape flux. The results are comparable to those found from the Ultraviolet Spectrometer experiment on the Mariner 6 and 7 fly-bys of Mars in 1969. Atomic oxygen emission at 1304 Å is detected at altitudes of 400-1000 km above the limb during limb scans shortly after closest approach. However, the derived oxygen scale height is not consistent with recent models of oxygen escape based on the production of suprathermal oxygen atoms by the dissociative recombination of .     

Distribution of HCN in Titan’s upper atmosphere from Cassini/VIMS observations at 3 μm

Cassini/VIMS limb observations have been used to retrieve vertical profiles of hydrogen cyanide (HCN) from its 3 μm emission in the region from 600 to 1100 km altitude at daytime. While the daytime emission is large up to about 1100 km, it vanishes at nighttime at very low altitudes, suggesting that the daytime emission originates under non-LTE conditions. The spectrally integrated radiances around 3.0 μm shows a monotonically decrease with tangent altitude, and a slight increase with solar zenith angle in the 40-80° interval around 800 km.A sophisticated non-LTE model of HCN energy levels has been developed in order to retrieve the HCN abundance. The population of the HCN 0 0⁰ 1 energy level, that contributes mostly to the 3.0 μm limb radiance, has been shown to change significantly with the solar zenith angle (SZA) and HCN abundance. Also its population varies with the collisional rate coefficients, whose uncertainties induced errors in the retrieved HCN of about 10% at 600-800 km and about 5% above. HCN concentrations have been retrieved from a set of spectra profiles, covering a wide range of latitudes and solar zenith angles, by applying a line-by-line inversion code. The results show a significant atmospheric variability above ∼800 km with larger values for weaker solar illumination. The HCN shows a very good correlation with solar zenith angles, irrespective of latitude and local time, suggesting that HCN at these high altitudes is in or close to photochemical equilibrium. A comparison with UVS and UVIS measurements show that these are close to the lower limit (smaller SZAs) of the VIMS observations above 750 km. However, they are in reasonable agreement when combining the rather large UV measurement errors and the atmospheric variability observed in VIMS. A comparison of the mean profile derived here with the widely used profile reported by Yelle and Griffith (Yelle R.V., Griffith, C.A. [2003]. Icarus 166, 107-115) shows a good agreement for altitudes ranging from 850 to 1050 km, while below these altitudes our result exhibits higher concentrations.     

Final results from the space dust (SPADUS) instrument flown aboard the earth-orbiting ARGOS spacecraft

In this paper, we present the final report of the data obtained from the Space Dust (SPADUS) instrument on the Earth-orbiting Advanced Research and Global Observation Satellite (ARGOS). The University of Chicago's SPADUS instrument on the US Air Force's Advanced Research and Global Observation Satellite has been operating in a nearly polar orbit, at an altitude of approximately 850 km, since soon after its launch on day 54, 1999 (23 February) until termination of the SPADUS operations on day 248, 2001 (5 September).The instrument consists of a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) dust trajectory system, which includes two planar arrays of PVDF sensors (a total of 16 sensors per array) separated by 20.25 cm to provide time of flight (TOF) measurements. The trajectory system measures dust particle flux, mass distribution, velocity and trajectory. The instrument also includes the SPADUS Ancillary Diagnostic Sensor (ADS) subsystem, which measured energetic charged particles (electrons, protons, etc).The PVDF dust trajectory system detected a total of 368 dust impacts over the SPADUS live-time interval of 739 days, yielding an average particle flux of 0.50 impacts/day. Of these 368 impacts, 35 were D1-D2 type events—where particles impacted and penetrated a D1 sensor, then impacted a D2 rear array sensor—allowing for time-of-flight measurements. Of the 35 D1-D2 impacts on SPADUS, we identified 19 D1-D2 impacts yielding TOF values. Of these 19 events, 14 were ambiguous (either bound or interplanetary) and 5 were unambiguous interplanetary impacts. Examples of particle orbits for debris particles as well as D1-D2 impacts are detailed. We also describe transient particle streams detected by the SPADUS trajectory system, resulting from the passage of ARGOS through streams of debris particles in Earth orbit. One of the streams was shown to result from detection by SPADUS of the debris generated by the explosion of a Chinese booster rocket.The SPADUS flight data accumulated over the 30-month mission shows that PVDF-based dust instruments utilizing two planar arrays of PVDF dust sensors in a TOF arrangement—can provide useful measurements of particle velocity, mass distribution, flux, trajectory and particle orbital elements.     

Limits on the size of aerosols from measurements of linear polarization in Titan’s atmosphere

The Descent Imager/Spectral Radiometer (DISR) instrument on the Huygens probe into the atmosphere of Titan yielded information on the size, shape, optical properties, and vertical distribution of haze aerosols in the atmosphere of Titan [Tomasko, M.G., Doose, L., Engel, S., Dafoe, L.E., West, R., Lemmon, M., Karkoschka, E., 2008. Planet. Space Sci. 56, 669-707] from photometric and spectroscopic measurements of sunlight in Titan’s atmosphere. This instrument also made measurements of the degree of linear polarization of sunlight in two spectral bands centered at 491 and 934 nm. Here we present the calibration and reduction of the polarization measurements and compare the polarization observations to models using fractal aggregate particles which have different sizes for the small dimension (monomer size) of which the aggregates are composed. We find that the Titan aerosols produce very large polarizations perpendicular to the scattering plane for scattering near 90° scattering angle. The size of the monomers is tightly constrained by the measurements to a radius of 0.04 ± 0.01 μm at altitudes from 150 km to the surface. The decrease in polarization with decreasing altitude observed in red and blue light is as expected by increasing dilution due to multiple scattering at decreasing altitudes. There is no indication of particles that produce small amounts of linear polarization at low altitudes.     

Jupiter and Saturn rotation periods

Anderson and Schubert [2007. Saturn's Gravitational field, internal rotation, and interior structure. Science 317, 1384-1387 (paper I)] proposed that Saturn's rotation period can be ascertained by minimizing the dynamic heights of the 100 mbar isosurface with respect to the geoid; they derived a rotation period of 10 h 32 m 35 s. We investigate the same approach for Jupiter to see if the Jovian rotation period is predicted by minimizing the dynamical heights of its isobaric (1 bar pressure level) surface using zonal wind data. A rotation period of 9 h 54 m 29.7 s is found. Further, we investigate the minimization method by fitting Pioneer and Voyager occultation radii for both Jupiter and Saturn. Rotation periods of 9 h 55 m 30 s and 10 h 32 m 35 s are found to minimize the dynamical heights for Jupiter and Saturn, respectively. Though there is no dynamical principle requiring the minimization of the dynamical heights of an isobaric surface, the successful application of the method to Jupiter lends support to its relevance for Saturn.We derive Jupiter and Saturn rotation periods using equilibrium theory to explain the difference between equatorial and polar radii. Rotation periods of 9 h 55 m 20 s and 10 h 31 m 49 s are found for Jupiter and Saturn, respectively. We show that both Jupiter's and Saturn's shapes can be derived using solid-body rotation, suggesting that zonal winds have a minor effect on the planetary shape for both planets.The agreement in the values of Saturn's rotation period predicted by the different approaches supports the conclusion that the planet's period of rotation is about 10 h 32 m.     

Millimeter and submillimeter measurements of asteroid (2867) Steins during the Rosetta fly-by

The European Space Agency Rosetta Spacecraft passed within 803 km of the main belt asteroid (2867) Steins on 5 September 2008. The Rosetta Spacecraft carries a number of scientific instruments including a millimeter and submillimeter radiometer and spectrometer. The instrument, named MIRO (Microwave Instrument for the Rosetta Orbiter), consists of a 30-cm diameter, offset parabolic reflector telescope followed by two heterodyne receivers. Center-band operating frequencies of the receivers are near 190 GHz (1.6 mm) and 562 GHz (0.53 mm). Broadband continuum channels are implemented in both frequency bands for the measurement of near surface temperatures and temperature gradients. A 4096 channel CTS (chirp transform spectrometer) having 180 MHz total bandwidth and ∼44 kHz resolution is also connected to the submillimeter receiver. We present the continuum observations of asteroid (2867) Steins obtained during the fly-by with the MIRO instrument. Spectroscopic data were also collected during the fly-by using the MIRO spectrometer fixed-tuned to rotational lines of several molecules. Results of the spectroscopic investigation will be the topic of a separate publication.Comparative thermal models and radiative transfer calculations for Steins are presented. Emissivities of Steins were determined to be 0.6-0.7 and 0.85-0.9 at wavelengths of 0.53 and 1.6 mm, respectively. The thermal inertia of Steins was estimated to be in the range 450-850 J/(m² s^0.5 K). Assuming that the emissivity of Steins is determined by the Fresnel reflection coefficients of the surface material, the area-averaged dielectric constant of the surface material is in the range 4-20. These values are rock-like, and are unlike the powdered-regolith surface of the Moon.     

Galileo in-situ dust measurements in Jupiter’s gossamer rings

Galileo was the first artificial satellite to orbit Jupiter. During its late orbital mission the spacecraft made two passages through the giant planet’s gossamer ring system. The impact-ionization dust detector on board successfully recorded dust impacts during both ring passages and provided the first in-situ measurements from a dusty planetary ring. During the first passage—on 5 November 2002 while Galileo was approaching Jupiter—dust measurements were collected until a spacecraft anomaly at 2.33R_J (Jupiter radii) just 16 min after a close flyby of Amalthea put the spacecraft into a safing mode. The second ring passage on 21 September 2003 provided ring dust measurements down to about 2.5R_J and the Galileo spacecraft was destroyed shortly thereafter in a planned impact with Jupiter. In all, a few thousand dust impacts were counted with the instrument accumulators during both ring passages, but only a total of 110 complete data sets of dust impacts were transmitted to Earth. Detected particle sizes range from about 0.2 to 5 μm, extending the known size distribution by an order of magnitude towards smaller particles than previously derived from optical imaging [Showalter, M.R., de Pater, I., Verbanac, G., Hamilton, D.P., Burns, J.A., 2008. Icarus 195, 361-377; de Pater, I., Showalter, M.R., Macintosh, B., 2008. Icarus 195, 348-360]. The grain size distribution increases towards smaller particles and shows an excess of these tiny motes in the Amalthea gossamer ring compared to the Thebe ring. The size distribution for the Amalthea ring derived from our in-situ measurements for the small grains agrees very well with the one obtained from images for large grains. Our analysis shows that particles contributing most to the optical cross-section are about 5 μm in radius, in agreement with imaging results. The measurements indicate a large drop in particle flux immediately interior to Thebe’s orbit and some detected particles seem to be on highly-tilted orbits with inclinations up to 20°. Finally, the faint Thebe ring extension was detected out to at least 5R_J, indicating that grains attain higher eccentricities than previously thought. The drop interior to Thebe, the excess of submicron grains at Amalthea, and the faint ring extension indicate that grain dynamics is strongly influenced by electromagnetic forces. These findings can all be explained by a shadow resonance as detailed by Hamilton and Krüger [Hamilton, D.P., Krüger, H., 2008. Nature 453, 72-75].     

Observations with the Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) during Cassini's flyby of Jupiter

The Cassini Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) is an imaging spectrometer covering the wavelength range 0.3-5.2 μm in 352 spectral channels, with a nominal instantaneous field of view of 0.5 mrad. The Cassini flyby of Jupiter represented a unique opportunity to accomplish two important goals: scientific observations of the jovian system and functional tests of the VIMS instrument under conditions similar to those expected to obtain during Cassini's 4-year tour of the saturnian system. Results acquired over a complete range of visual to near-infrared wavelengths from 0.3 to 5.2 μm are presented. First detections include methane fluorescence on Jupiter, a surprisingly high opposition surge on Europa, the first visual-near-IR spectra of Himalia and Jupiter's optically-thin ring system, and the first near-infrared observations of the rings over an extensive range of phase angles (0-120°). Similarities in the center-to-limb profiles of H⁺₃ and CH₄ emissions indicate that the H⁺₃ ionospheric density is solar-controlled outside of the auroral regions. The existence of jovian NH₃ absorption at 0.93 μm is confirmed. Himalia has a slightly reddish spectrum, an apparent absorption near 3 μm, and a geometric albedo of 0.06±0.01 at 2.2 μm (assuming an 85-km radius). If the 3-μm feature in Himalia's spectrum is eventually confirmed, it would be suggestive of the presence of water in some form, either free, bound, or incorporated in layer-lattice silicates. Finally, a mean ring-particle radius of 10 μm is found to be consistent with Mie-scattering models fit to VIMS near-infrared observations acquired over 0-120° phase angle.