International Ultraviolet Explorer observations of Venus SO sub 2 and SO

Journal Article · Sun May 20 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JD095iD06p07485· OSTI ID:5049483

Na, Chan Y; Esposito, L W; Skinner, T E ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Colorado, Boulder (United States)

Results of recent International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) observations of Venus made on January 20, 1987, and April 2 and 3, 1988, along with a reanalysis of the 1979 observations (Conway et al., 1979) are presented. The observations indicate that the amount of sulfur dioxide at the cloud tops of Venus declined by a factor of 8 {plus minus} 4 from 3809 {plus minus} 70 ppb in 1987 and 1988. These values are consistent with the Pioneer Venus results (L.W. Esposito, A recalibration of the solar flux for Pioneer Venus results and a comparison of existing SO{sub 2} measurements on Venus, unpublished manuscript, 1989). The authors identify absorption features of sulfur monoxide for the first time, and estimate the SO mixing ratio above the cloud level is 20 {plus minus} 10 ppb for 1979. This is consistent with photochemical models by Winick and Stewart (1980) and Yung and DeMore (1982) and with the upper limit from Wilson et al. (1981).

• OSTI ID: 5049483
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States) Vol. 95:D6; ISSN JGREA; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640107* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Planetary Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ABSORPTION SPECTRA
ATMOSPHERES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
DATA ANALYSIS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MIXING
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANETARY ATMOSPHERES
PLANETS
SATELLITES
SPECTRA
SPECTROMETERS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR OXIDES
ULTRAVIOLET SPECTROMETERS
VENUS PLANET