Longitudinal variability of methane and ammonia bands on Jupiter. II - Temporal variations

A set of spectra has been obtained of the Jovian equatorial zone central meridian 6190 A CH4 and 6450 A NH3 bands on the nights of February 26, 27, and 28, 1980, a year after the data reported by Cochran and Cochran (1980), in order to check the previous results and search for possible temporal variations. The new data confirm the results of the previous study. A correlation of the NH3 and CH4 equivalent widths, as well as a lack of any strong correlation of red continuum reflectivity with equivalent width, are found. Longitude regions of larger or smaller than average equivalent width still seem to exist a year later, with some slight drift in longitude. An increase in the average CH4 and NH3 equivalent width over the entire planet was detected during the one year interval. This is easily understood as the result of a global decrease in the mean altitude of the NH3 cloud.