Venus - Detection of variations in stratospheric carbon monoxideThe reported observations of the J = 0-1 rotational transition (115271.2 MHz) of carbon monoxide in the Venusian atmosphere indicate that the distribution of stratospheric CO is variable. Observations were obtained with a 11-m antenna on several days in February 1977, when Venus was near maximum eastern elongation (k approximately 0.4), and in April 1977 during inferior conjunction (k approximately 0.01). Differences in the line intensities and shapes for the two data sets are described. The results are interpreted to suggest that on the nightside of Venus there is relatively more CO at higher altitudes and relatively less CO at lower altitudes than on the dayside of the planet.
Document ID
19790029099
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Authors
Gulkis, S. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Kakar, R. K. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Klein, M. J. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Olsen, E. T. (California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena Calif., United States)
Wilson, W. J. (Aerospace Corp. Electronics Research Laboratory, El Segundo, Calif., United States)