Excitation of the oxygen nightglow on the terrestrial planets

A scheme of excitation, quenching, and energy transfer processes in the oxygen nightglow on the Earth, Venus, and Mars has been developed based on the observed nightglow intensities and vertical profiles, measured reaction rate coefficients, and photochemical models of the nighttime atmospheres of the Venus and Mars. The scheme involves improved radiative lifetimes of some band systems, calculated yields of the seven electronic states of O₂ in termolecular association, and rate coefficients of seven processes of electronic quenching of the Herzberg states of O₂, which are evaluated by fitting to the nightglow observations. Electronic quenching of the vibrationally excited Herzberg states by O₂ and N₂ in the Earth's nightglow is a quarter of total collisional removal of the O₂(A, A′) states and a dominant branch for the O₂(c) state. The scheme supports the conclusion by Steadman and Thrush (1994) that the green line is excited by energy transfer from the O₂(A³Σ_u⁺, v≥6) molecules, and the inferred rate coefficient of this transfer is 1.5×10⁻¹¹ cm³ s⁻¹. The O₂ bands at 762 nm and 1.27 μm are excited directly, by quenching of the Herzberg states, and by energy transfer from the O₂(⁵Π_g) state. Quenching of the O₂ band at 762 nm excites the band at 1.27 μm as well. Effective yield of the O₂(a¹Δ_g) state in termolecular association on Venus and Mars is ∼0.7. Quantitative assessments of all these processes have been made. A possible reaction of O₂(c¹Σ_u⁻)+CO is a very minor branch of recombination of CO₂ on Venus and Mars. Night airglow on Mars is calculated for typical conditions of the nighttime atmosphere. The calculated vertical intensity of the O₂ band at 1.27 μm is 13 kR, far below the recently reported detections.     

The P/Halley Stream: Meteor Showers on Earth, Venus and Mars

We have simulated the formation and evolution of comet 1P/Halley’s meteoroid stream by ejecting particles from the nucleus 5000 years ago and propagating them forward to the present. Our aim is to determine the existence and characteristics of associated meteor showers at Mars and Venus and compare them with 1P/Halley’s two known showers at the Earth. We find that one shower should be present at Venus and two at Mars. The number of meteors in those atmospheres would, in general, be less than that at the Earth. The descending node branch of the Halley stream at Mars exhibits a clumpy structure. We identified at least one of these clumps as particles trapped in the 7:1 mean motion resonance with Jupiter, potentially capable of producing meteor ourbursts of ZHR∼1000 roughly once per century.     

First observation of energetic neutral atoms in the Venus environment

The ASPERA-4 instrument on board the Venus Express spacecraft offers for the first time the possibility to directly measure the emission of energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) in the vicinity of Venus. When the spacecraft is inside the Venus shadow a distinct signal of hydrogen ENAs usually is detected. It is observed as a narrow tailward stream, coming from the dayside exosphere around the Sun direction. The intensity of the signal reaches several , which is consistent with present theories of the plasma and neutral particle distributions around Venus.     

Initial Venus Express magnetic field observations of the Venus bow shock location at solar minimum

In this study, magnetic field measurements obtained by the Venus Express spacecraft are used to determine the bow shock position at solar minimum. The best fit of bow shock location from solar zenith angle 20-120° gives a terminator bow shock location of 2.14 R_V (1 R_V=6052 km) which is 1600 km closer to Venus than the 2.40 R_V determined during solar maximum conditions, a clear indication of the solar cycle variation of the Venus bow shock location. The best fit to the subsolar bow shock is 1.32 R_V, with the bow shock completely detached. Finally, a global bow shock model at solar minimum is constructed based on our best-fit empirical bow shock in the sunlit hemisphere and an asymptotic limit of the distant bow shock which is a Mach cone under typical Mach number of 5.5 at solar minimum. We also describe our approach to making the measurements and processing the data in a challenging magnetic cleanliness environment. An initial evaluation of the accuracy of measurements shows that the data are of a quality comparable to magnetic field measurements made onboard magnetically clean spacecraft.     

Distributions of the Venus 1.27-μm O2 airglow and rotational temperature

Imaging spectroscopic observations of the Venus 1.27-μm O₂ airglow were carried out with ground-based telescopes from 2002 to 2007. Spectral image cubes were taken with the Okayama Astrophysical Observatory/infrared imaging spectrometer (superOASIS), the Gunma Astronomical Observatory/near-infrared camera and NASA's Infrared Telescope Facility/cryogenic echelle spectrograph (CSHELL). The rotational temperature shows weak positive correlation with the airglow intensity. However, there are some regions that have almost same intensities but different temperatures. The intensities tend to decrease from the anti-solar point to the terminator besides local features. These results indicate that there are local strong downward flows superimposed on the subsolar-to-antisolar circulation.     

Hemispheric distributions of HCl above and below the Venus’ clouds by ground-based 1.7 μm spectroscopy

The abundance of hydrogen chloride (HCl) in the Venus atmosphere was measured by ground-based IR spectroscopy. The dayside measurements were performed in May 2007 with a resolution of 40,000, and the nightside measurements in October 1999 with a resolution of 1000. The hemispheric distributions of the HCl mixing ratio measured above the Venus’ clouds show no significant structure with a disc-averaged value of 0.74±0.06 ppm which is in the similar range as the previous report of 0.6±0.2 ppm. The representative height for the dayside measurements is estimated to be 60-66 km. Recent results by Venus Express/SPICAV/SOIR show much smaller values of 0.1-0.2 ppm at 64-94 km; however the direct comparison is difficult due to the different spatial conditions. The hemispheric distributions of the ³⁵Cl/³⁷Cl isotope ratio are also found to show no significant structure with a disc-averaged value of 3.1±0.4 which coincides with the terrestrial value of 3.1. The HCl mixing ratios below the clouds are also found to show no significant structure with a disc-averaged value of 0.40±0.05 ppm, which is similar to the previous reports of 0.4-0.5 ppm. The larger HCl mixing ratio above the clouds than below suggests the production of HCl in the cloud region or above. Also, a uniform hemispherical distribution of H₂O is found below the clouds with a disc-averaged mixing ratio of 25±5 ppm; this is in the same range as the previous measurements. Those uniform distributions of HCl and H₂O support the fact that their chemical lifetimes are much longer than that of mixing as has been discussed so far.     

Formation and evolution of Lakshmi Planum, Venus: Assessment of models using observations from geological mapping

Detailed geological analysis of the Lakshmi Planum region of western Ishtar Terra results in the establishment of the sequence of major events during the formation and evolution of western Ishtar Terra, an important and somewhat unique area on Venus characterized by a raised volcanic plateau surrounded by distinctive folded mountain belts, such as Maxwell Montes. These mapping results and the stratigraphic and structural relationships provide a basis for addressing the complicated problem of Lakshmi Planum formation and for testing the suite of models previously proposed to explain this structure. We review and classify previous models of formation for western Ishtar Terra into “downwelling” models (generally involving convergence and underthrusting) and “upwelling” models (generally involving plume-like upwelling and divergence). The interpreted nature of units and the sequence of events derived from geological mapping are in contrast to the predictions of the divergent models. The major contradictions are as follows: (1) The very likely presence of an ancient (craton-like) tessera massif in the core of Lakshmi, which is inconsistent with the model of formation of Lakshmi due to rise and collapse of a mantle diapir; (2) The absence of rift zones in the interior of Lakshmi that are predicted by the divergent models; (3) The apparent migration of volcanic activity toward the center of Lakshmi, whereas divergent models predict the opposite trend; (4) The abrupt cessation of ridges of the mountain ranges at the edge of Lakshmi Planum and propagation of these ridges over hundreds of kilometers outside Lakshmi; the divergent models predict the opposite progression in the development of major contractional features. In contrast, convergent models of formation and evolution of Lakshmi Planum appear to be more consistent with the observations and explain this structure by collision and underthrusting/subduction of lower-lying plains with the elevated and rigid block of tessera. These models are capable of explaining formation of the major features of western Ishtar (for example, the mountain belts), the sequences of events, and principal volcanic and tectonic trends during the evolution of Lakshmi. To explain the pronounced north-south asymmetry of Lakshmi these models need to consider the likelihood that the major focal points of collision are at the north and north-west margins of the plateau. We note that pure downwelling models, however, face three important difficulties: (1) The possibly unrealistically long time span that appears to be required to produce the major features of Lakshmi; (2) The strong north-south asymmetry of the Planum; the pure downwelling models predict the formation of a more symmetrical structure; and (3) The absence of radial contractional structures (arches and ridges) in the interior of Lakshmi that would represent the predictions of the downwelling models.     

Progressive Build Up Of Co 2 In The AtmosphereOf Venus Through Multiple Volcanic Resurfacing Events

In absence of other mechanisms, the main input of CO₂into the Venusian atmosphere is via volcanic out gassing. Since Venus can be regarded as a planet-wide large igneous province, we can expect large quantities of CO₂ being transferred into its atmosphere via volcanic out gassing. We have quantified the maximum possible amount of CO₂ that can be out gassed via a single massive episode of resurfacing of the planet. This figure (5.6 × 10¹⁹ kg of CO₂) is about 8 times smaller than the total CO₂ present in the Venusian atmosphere (4.55 × 10²⁰ kg CO₂). The lack of planet-wide, efficient mechanisms for the recycling of CO₂ on Venus indicates that CO₂ has progressively accumulated in the atmosphere. Based on these considerations we suggest that the “equivalent” to eight global resurfacing episodes would be required to account for the present values of CO_{2 atmosphere}. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Measurements of the helium 584 Å airglow during the Cassini flyby of Venus

The helium resonance line at 584 Å has been observed with the UltraViolet Imaging Spectrograph (UVIS) Extreme Ultraviolet channel during the flyby of Venus by Cassini at a period of high solar activity. The brightness was measured along the disk from the morning terminator up to the bright limb near local noon. The mean disk intensity was ∼320 R, reaching ∼700 R at the bright limb. These values are slightly higher than those determined from previous observations. The sensitivity of the 584 Å intensity to the helium abundance is analyzed using recent cross-sections and solar irradiance measurements at 584 Å. The intensity distribution along the UVIS footprint on the disk is best reproduced using the EUVAC solar flux model and the helium density distribution from the VTS3 empirical model. It corresponds to a helium density of 8×10⁶ cm⁻³ at the level of where the CO₂ is 2×10¹⁰ cm⁻³.     

Radiating graben-fissure systems in the Ulfrun Regio area, Venus

Radiating graben-fissure systems are common on Venus. Most are thought to be underlain by mafic dykes, fed by centrally-located magmatic centres. From previous work it has been shown that these magmatic plumbing systems can extend out up to 2000 km or more and that interaction between neighbouring systems can provide insight into the relative chronology of their magmatic centres. Systematic mapping of graben-fissure systems has potential as a tool for regional magmatic chronology and correlation on Venus.This methodology is applied to the Ulfrun Regio area (200-240°E, 0-25°N) where we mapped 47,000 graben and fissures. From these, 66 radiating systems comprised of 13,000 individual graben and fissures, and having radii of up to 2000 km have been identified, and are interpreted to be underlain by dyke swarms focussed on magmatic centres. Cross-cutting relationships among these systems and with the Hecate Chasma rift zone have been examined to provide a relative chronology for the magmatic centres. Two trends emerged: (a) an apparent younging from the southwest to northeast of the study area and (b) a cluster of older ages in the southwest, linked to the Atla Regio mantle plume.