For infrared spectrophotometry of Jupiter and Saturn

Infrared spectral observations of Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn were made from 100 to 470 cm^?1 using NASA's G. P. Kuiper Airborne Observatory. Taking Mars as a calibration source, we determined brightness temperatures of Jupiter and Saturn with approximately 5 cm^?1 resolution. The data are used to determine the internal luminosities of the giant planets, for which more than 75% of the thermally emitted power is estimated to be in the measured bandpass: for Jupiter L_J = (8.0 ± 2.0) × 10^?10L_⊙ and for Saturn L_S = (3.6 ± 0.9) × 10^?10. The ratio R of thermally emitted power to solar power absorbed was estimated to be R_J = 1.6 ± 0.2, and R_S = 2.7 ± 0.8 from the observations when both planets were near perihelion. The Jupiter spectrum clearly shows the presence of the rotational ammonia transitions which strongly influence the opacity at frequencies ?250 cm^?1. Comparison of the data with spectra predicted from current models of Jupiter and Saturn permits inferences regarding the structure of the planetary atmospheres below the temperature inversion. In particular, an opacity source in addition to gaseous hydrogen and ammonia, such as ammonia ice crystals as suggested by Orton, may be necessary to explain the observed Jupiter spectrum in the vicinity of 250 cm^?1.     

Possible H2staggered+ ultraviolet spectrum of Jupiter

An ultraviolet spectral probe for a hydrogen-rich planetary atmosphere, such as that of Jupiter, is suggested, utilizing discrete lines in the H₂^staggered+ 2pπ_u?1sσ_g electronic transition. For the Jovian atmosphere, the dominant mechanism for exciting H₂⁺ to its 2pπ_u state appears to be photoexcitation, principally through absorption of the solar Lyman-α line. We estimate that the Jovian column emission rate of the H₂⁺ 2pπ_u(ν′ = 2, J′ = 1) →1sσ_g(ν″ = 18,J″ = 0) fluorescent line at 1236.6 Å is if1 photon cmsu-2 secsu-1; i.e., that if1 photon secsu-1 of this radiation would strike a 15-cm diameter mirror in a Jupiter fly-by at an impact parameter of 3 × 10⁵km. The critical role of corrections to the Born-Oppenheimer approximation in the use of an H₂⁺ probe is discussed.     

Thunderstorms on Jupiter

The presence of a considerable acetylene concentration on Jupiter, despite the fast rate of its photolytic hydrogenation, provides strong evidence for the operation of frequent and powerful thunderstorms in the Jovian atmosphere. Whereas acetylene regeneration can occur only during thunderstorms, the photolytically destroyed ammonia can be regenerated both in thunderstorms and in the low and hot atmospheric levels. A rate of Earthlike lightning strokes 10⁴ times larger than on Earth is inferred from the calculated rate of acetylene's photolytic destruction. The rate of acetylene production by thunder shock waves and the products obtained from its photolytic hydrogenation can account for the large ethane concentration and the absence of ethylene. The yellow-brown acetylene polymer and the ruby-red polymers, obtained from thunder-produced hydrogen cyanide or cyanogen with ammonia, are likely contributor to the Jovian coloration.     

Cassini observations of Io's visible aurorae

More than 500 images of Io in eclipse were acquired by the Cassini spacecraft in late 2000 and early 2001 as it passed through the jovian system en route to Saturn (Porco et al., 2003, Science 299, 1541-1547). Io's bright equatorial glows were detected in Cassini's near-ultraviolet filters, supporting the interpretation that the visible emissions are predominantly due to molecular SO₂. Detailed comparisons of laboratory SO₂ spectra with the Cassini observations indicate that a mixture of gases contribute to the equatorial emissions. Potassium is suggested by new detections of the equatorial glows at near-infrared wavelengths from 730 to 800 nm. Neutral atomic oxygen and sodium are required to explain the brightness of the glows at visible wavelengths. The molecule S₂ is postulated to emit most of the glow intensity in the wavelength interval from 390 to 500 nm. The locations of the visible emissions vary in response to the changing orientation of the external magnetic field, tracking the tangent points of the jovian magnetic field lines. Limb glows distinct from the equatorial emissions were observed at visible to near-infrared wavelengths from 500 to 850 nm, indicating that atomic O, Na, and K are distributed across Io's surface. Stratification of the atmosphere is demonstrated by differences in the altitudes of emissions at various wavelengths: SO₂ emissions are confined to a region close to Io's surface, whereas neutral oxygen emissions are seen at altitudes that reach up to 900 km, or half the radius of the satellite. Pre-egress brightening demonstrates that light scattered into Jupiter's shadow by gases or aerosols in the giant planet's upper atmosphere contaminates images of Io taken within 13 minutes of entry into or emergence from Jupiter's umbra. Although partial atmospheric collapse is suggested by the longer timescale for post-ingress dimming than pre-egress brightening, Io's atmosphere must be substantially supported by volcanism to retain auroral emissions throughout the duration of eclipse.     

N2 vibrational distribution in aurorae

The N₂ vibrational distribution is calculated for a specific IBC Class II aurora using as input, data obtained from coordinated rocket and satellite observations and currently accepted excitation and quenching rates. The results of the calculations indicate no significant vibrational enhancements for this specific aurora nor for “upper limit” estimates for more intense aurorae. We conclude from this study that if significantly larger concentrations of vibrationally excited N₂ molecules exist in the aurora, as recent rocket e.u.v. measurements suggest, current concepts of the sources and sinks of N₂ vibrational excitation will require significant revision.     

Lightning activity on Jupiter

Photographic observations of the nightside of Jupiter by the Voyager 1 spacecraft show the presence of extensive lightning activity. Detection of whistlers by the plasma wave analyzer confirms the optical observations and implies that many flashes were not recorded by the Voyager camera because the intensity of the flashes was below the threshold sensitivity of the camera. Measurements of the optical energy radiated per flash indicate that the observed flashes had energies similar to that for terrestrial superbolts. The best estimate of the lightning energy dissipation rate of 0.4 × 10^?3 W/m² was derived from a consideration of the optical and radiofrequency measurements. The ratio of the energy dissipated by lightning compared to the convective energy flux is estimated to be between 0.27 × 10^?4 and 0.5 × 10^?4. The terrestrial value is 1 × 10^?4.     

Ammonia photolysis on Jupiter

Ammonia photolysis under simulated Jovian conditions indicates that the photochemical reaction would rapidly convert all the ammonia of Jupiter to nitrogen even in a large excess of hydrogen. It is suggested that ammonia is observed because the planet's atmosphere is deep and hot and/or because electrical discharge phenomena are important.     

The thermal structure of Jupiter I. Implications of Pioneer 10 infrared radiometer data

Temperature profiles for low latitude regions of Jupiter in the 1.0-0.1 bar pressure regime are recovered from Pioneer 10 infrared radiometer data. The temperature near 0.1 bar is 108–117K, depending on the overlying thermal structure assumed. For the South Equatorial Belt, the temperature at 1.0 bar is 170 K, assuming an adiabatic lapse rate in the deep atmosphere. The South Tropical Zone temperature at this level is 155K if pure gaseous absorption is assumed. Alternatively, the temperature is much closer to that in the SEB, assuming the presence of an optically opaque cloud near the 0.6atm (145K) level. Such a cloud presence in the STrZ may be correlated with the visible and 5 micron appearance of the planet and with NH₃ saturation just below this position. The molar fraction of H₂ most consistent with the data is 0.91 ± 0.08. conditional on the perfect validity of the model and the lack of systematic errors in the data. The effective temperatures of the SEB and STrZ are 127.6 and 124.2K, respectively. These temperature profiles are generally consistent with data at other wavelengths and radiative-equilibrium models, but a discrepancy with the preliminary neutral atmosphere inversion of Pioneer 10 radio occultation data remains unexplained.     

Colour changes on Jupiter

An analysis of four-colour photographic images of Jupiter taken during 1970–1974 is presented. It is shown that major global and hemispheric changes in colour—mainly in the blue— occurred over this period.     

Airborne interferometric measurement of the infrared spectrum of Jupiter from 6 to 14 μm

A new spectrum of Jupiter from 700 to 1600 cm^?1 was obtained with an interferometric experiment using the 91.5 cm telescope of the NASA Airborne Infrared Observatory. The spectral resolution is 10 cm^?1 and the signal-to-noise ratio is 30 at 900 cm^?1. NH₃ absorption lines are observed between 820 and 1020 cm^?1. The 1306 cm^?1ν₄CH₄ band strongly appears in emission at a temperature of at least 145° K. The Jovian brightness temperature between 1400 and 1600 cm^?1, according to our measurement, is lower than 170° K.     

Solar activity around AD 775 from aurorae and radiocarbon

A large variation in ¹⁴C around AD 775 has been considered to be caused by one or more solar super‐flares within one year. We critically review all known aurora reports from Europe as well as the Near, Middle, and Far East from AD 731 to 825 and find 39 likely true aurorae plus four more potential aurorae and 24 other reports about halos, meteors, thunderstorms etc., which were previously misinterpreted as aurorae or misdated; we assign probabilities for all events according to five aurora criteria. We find very likely true aurorae in AD 743, 745, 762, 765, 772, 773, 793, 796, 807, and 817. There were two aurorae in the early 770s observed near Amida (now Diyarbakır in Turkey near the Turkish‐Syrian border), which were not only red, but also green‐yellow – being at a relatively low geomagnetic latitude, they indicate a relatively strong solar storm. However, it cannot be argued that those aurorae (geomagnetic latitude 43 to 50°, considering five different reconstructions of the geomagnetic pole) could be connected to one or more solar super‐flares causing the ¹⁴C increase around AD 775: There are several reports about low‐ to mid‐latitude aurorae at 32 to 44° geomagnetic latitude in China and Iraq; some of them were likely observed (quasi‐)simultaneously in two of three areas (Europe, Byzantium/Arabia, East Asia), one lasted several nights, and some indicate a particularly strong geomagnetic storm (red colour and dynamics), namely in AD 745, 762, 793, 807, and 817 – always without ¹⁴C peaks. We use 39 likely true aurorae as well as historic reports about sunspots together with the radiocarbon content from tree rings to reconstruct the solar activity: From AD ∼733 to ∼823, we see at least nine Schwabe cycles; instead of one of those cycles, there could be two short, weak cycles – reflecting the rapid increase to a high ¹⁴C level since AD 775, which lies at the end of a strong cycle. In order to show the end of the dearth of naked‐eye sunspots, we discuss two more Schwabe cycles until AD ∼844. The ¹⁴C record (from both Intcal and Miyake et al. 2013a) is anti‐correlated to auroral and sunspot activity, as expected from solar wind modulation of cosmic rays which produce the radiocarbon. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Possible collisions of P/Halley and P/Machholz 1 with Jupiter and the terrestrial planets

The perturbed motion of comet Halley and comet Mackholz 1 1986 VIII was investigated within a time interval of about 20 millennia. The minimal distance of 0.043 AU between P/Halley and Venus may occur on April 4, 4868 AD. The distance of 0.036 AU between P/Halley and Jupiter will take place on April 1, 6616 AD.The orbit of P/Machholz 1 crosses the orbits of Mercury and Venus eight times, that of the Earth six or eight times, and the orbit of Mars four times per a period of advance of the argument of perihelion. A distance of about 0.06 AU between P/Machholz 1 and the Earth may take place in August 2576 AD and 5751 AD and in February 4770 AD. The minimal comet-Earth distance of 0.035 AU occurs on September 14, 5971 AD. The closest encounter between P/Machholz 1 and Jupiter at the distance of 0.098 AU may be in May 4499 AD. These results may be considered as a forecast of possible collisions.     

Temporally varying ethylene emission on Jupiter

Ethylene (C₂H₄) emission has been measured in the poles and equator of Jupiter. The 949 cm⁻¹ spectra were recorded with a high resolution spectrometer at the McMath-Pierce telescope at Kitt Peak in October-November 1998 and at the Infrared Telescope Facility at Mauna Kea in June 2000. C₂H₄ is an important product of methane chemistry in the outer planets. Knowledge of its abundance can help discriminate among the various proposed sets of CH₄ photolysis branching ratios at Ly-α, and determine the relative importance of the reaction pathways that produce C₂H₂ and C₂H₆. In the equatorial region the C₂H₄ emission is weak, and we were only able to detect it at high air-mass, near the limb. We derive a peak equatorial molar abundance of C₂H₄ of 4.5×¹⁰⁻⁷-1.7×¹⁰⁻⁶ near 2.2×¹⁰⁻³ mbar, with a total column of 5.7×¹⁰¹⁴-2.2×¹⁰¹⁵ molecules cm⁻² above 10 mbar depending upon choice of thermal profile. We observed enhanced C₂H₄ emission from the poles in the regions where auroras are seen in X-ray, UV, and near infrared images. In 2000 we measured a short-term change in the distribution of polar C₂H₄ emission; the emission in the north IR auroral “hot spot” decreased by a factor of three over a two-day interval. This transient behavior and the sensitivity of C₂H₄ emission to temperature changes near its contribution peak at 5-10 microbar suggests that the polar enhancement is primarily a thermal effect coupled with vertical transport. Comparing our observations from Kitt Peak and Mauna Kea shows that the C₂H₄ emission of the northern non-“hot spot” auroral regions did not change over the three-year period while that in the southern polar regions decreased.     

Possible collisions of P/Halley and P/Machholz 1 with Jupiter and the terrestrial planets

The perturbed motion of comet Halley and comet Mackholz 1 1986 VIII was investigated within a time interval of about 20 millennia. The minimal distance of 0.043 AU between P/Halley and Venus may occur on April 4, 4868 AD. The distance of 0.036 AU between P/Halley and Jupiter will take place on April 1, 6616 AD. The orbit of P/Machholz 1 crosses the orbits of Mercury and Venus eight times, that of the Earth six or eight times, and the orbit of Mars four times per a period of advance of the argument of perihelion. A distance of about 0.06 AU between P/Machholz 1 and the Earth may take place in August 2576 AD and 5751 AD and in February 4770 AD. The minimal comet-Earth distance of 0.035 AU occurs on September 14, 5971 AD. The closest encounter between P/Machholz 1 and Jupiter at the distance of 0.098 AU may be in May 4499 AD. These results may be considered as a forecast of possible collisions.     

Quasi-satellites of Jupiter

Two asteroids 2001 QQ199 and 2004 AE9 and two comets P/LINEAR-Catalina and P/LINEAR are found to be quasi-satellites of Jupiter at present time. The Tisserand parameters of these four bodies lie between 2.3 and 2.5, which means two asteroids might be Jupiter family comets and will show a cometary’s activity in the near future.     

Study of the Ammonia ice cloud layer in the equatorial region of Jupiter from the infrared interferometric experiment on voyager

Spectra from the Voyager 1 infrared interferometer spectrometer (IRIS) obtained near the time of closest approach to Jupiter were analyzed for the purpose of inferring ammonia cloud properties associated with the Equatorial Region. Comparisons of observed spectra with synthetic spectra computed from a radiative transfer formulation, that includes multiple scattering, yielded the following conclusions: (1) very few NH₃ ice particles with radii less than 3 μm contribute to the cloud opacity; (2) the major source of cloud opacity arises from particles with radii in excess of 30 μm; (3) column particle densities are between 1 and 2 orders of magnitude smaller than those derived from thermochemical considerations alone, implying the presence of important atmospheric motion; and (4) another cloud system is confirmed to exist deeper in the Jovian troposphere.     

Atmospheric superrotation on Saturn and Jupiter

The problem is discussed whether atmospheric superrotation is driven by internal or external torques. An integral constraint is derived which under certain conditions forbids geostrophic flow, and suggests corkscrew-shaped motion along zones of constant latitude. A momentum balance consideration restricts effective viscosities in the upper atmospheres to be much smaller than maximal eddy viscosity, perhaps as small as molecular viscosity.     

The detection of HCN on Jupiter

We report the detection of HCN on Jupiter. Three R-branch lines of the ν₂ fundamental of HCN near 13.5 μm were observed in absorption, from which the HCN column density is inferred to be 5 × 10^?3 cm-am with an uncertainty of a factor of 2. If emission from the stratosphere exists, then the derived column density is only a lowe limit. We suggest that the Jovian HCN most likely originates from the photolysis of CH₄ and NH₃ in the lower stratosphere and upper troposphere. In addition, an upper limit of 2.5 × 10^?2 cm-am was established for the column density of HCN on Saturn.