Sulfuric acid vapor and other cloud-related gases in the Venus atmosphere: Abundances inferred from observed radio opacity

Laboratory measurements of the microwave opacity of gaseous sulfuric acid under Venus atmospheric conditions indicate that it is an exceptionally strong absorber. They also suggest that its absorptivity has a surprisingly weak dependence on radio frequency, as compared with other common gaseous absorbers. Initial theoretical studies also indicate a large absorptivity and weak frequency dependence, although the measured opacity is several times the computed value, presumably due to deviations from Van Vleck-Weisskopf theory for pressures near and above about 1 atm. The absorbing characteristics of sulfuric acid vapor appear to reconcile what had been thought to be an inconsistency among measurements and deductions concerning the constituents of the atmosphere of Venus, and radio occultation, radar reflection, and radio emission measurements of its opacity. These and previous laboratory measurements of sulfur dioxide, water vapor, and carbon dioxide are used to model relative contributions to opacity as a function of height, in a way that is consistent with observations of the constituents and absorbing properties of the atmosphere. We conclude that sulfuric acid vapor is likely to be the principal microwave absorber in the 30- to 50-km-altitude range of the middle atmosphere of Venus. It would need to have a mixing ratio there of about 35 to 90 ppm if it were the sole absorber. Carbon dioxide, the predominant atmospheric gas, is the main absorber below about 30 km, while sulfur dioxide is an important but secondary absorber in both regions. Water vapor and cloud particulates appear to be only minor contributors to the total opacity. While gaseous sulfuric acid has not been directly measured in any of the in situ probe experiments (due to particular instrumental limitations), its presence at an abundance of the deduced order of magnitude is implied by these and other observations. We suggest that improved radio occultation measurements, in conjuction with high-resolution microwave emission observations and more detailed laboratory studies, could provide important data for investigating the sulfur compound chemistry in the atmosphere of Venus, and that the techniques and results may have application to the study of atmospheric conditions associated with acid rain on Earth.