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The structure of Neptune's upper atmosphere - The stellar occultation of 24 May 1981Observations of the 24 May 1981 occulation of an uncatalogued star by Neptune made at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory have been analyzed to yield temperature profiles of Neptune's upper atmosphere for number densities near 5 x 10 to the 13th per cu cm. The mean temperatures at immersion (latitude - 56 deg) and emersion (latitude - 16 deg) obtained by numerical inversion were 140 + or - 10 K and 154 + or - 10 K, respectively. The immersion and emersion profiles are remarkably similar in overall shape, suggestive of global atmospheric layering. From the astrometry of the event, precise relative positions of Neptune and the occulted star were obtained.
Document ID
19830062873
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
doi:10.1016/0019-1035(83)90085-4
Authors
French, R. G. (MIT, Cambridge; Wellesley College, Wellesley MA, United States)
Elias, J. H. (Observatorio Interamericano de Cerro Tololo La Serena, Chile)
Mink, D. J. (Massachusetts Inst. of Tech. Cambridge, MA, United States)
Elliot, J. L. (MIT Cambridge, MA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 11, 2013
Publication Date
August 1, 1983
Publication Information
Publication: Icarus
Volume: 55
ISSN: 0019-1035
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Exploration
Accession Number
83A44091
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF AST-78-27879
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF AST-80-10699
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSG-7526
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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