The altitude distribution of the Venus ultraviolet nightglow and implications on vertical transport

The altitude distribution of the nitric oxide nightglow was measured with an ultraviolet spectrometer on board Pioneer Venus, in order to study the effects of the distribution on the Venus nightside lower thermosphere transport properties. Limb profiles were obtained with an 8 ms integration period on several orbits near periapsis. The observations were made between P minus 2 min and P plus 4 min, where altitude ranges between 150 and 350 km, and latitude varies from 24 degrees N to 9 degrees S. A method independent of the spacecraft attitude data was used to fit the observed limb profiles, and to find the altitude of the maximum of the layer (115 plus or minus 2 km), and the topside scale height (about 3 km). It is shown that downward transport by diffusion alone is not sufficient, and if vertical motion is parameterized by eddy diffusion, an eddy diffusion coefficient is deduced from the altitude of the layer.