Infrared spectrometry of Venus from “Venera-15” and “Venera-16”

Fourier spectrometers for the investigation of infrared spectra of Venus were installed on the recent Soviet orbiters “Venera-15” and “Venera-16”. Many spectra with reliable absolute calibration were obtained in the 280–1500 cm^?1 region with a spectral resolution of 5 cm^?1 (ground based processing) and about 7 cm^?1 (preoprocessed on board) and a spatial resolution of about 100 km at the Venusian cloud top level. Bands of CO₂, H₂O, H₂SO₄ and SO₂ are identified. The 15 μm-CO₂- fundamental band was used for retrieval of altitude dependent temperature profiles. There are significant differences in the cloud structure above 60 km for distinct regions of Venus, demonstrated by differences in the spectra.     

Thermal structure of the Martian atmosphere retrieved from the IR spectrometry in the 15 μm CO2 band: input to MIRA

This paper describes one of the sources of the data concerning the thermal structure of the Martian atmosphere, based on the thermal IR spectrometry method. It allows to investigate the Martian atmosphere below 55 km by retrieving the temperature profiles from the 15 μm CO₂ band. This approach enables to reach the vertical resolution of several kilometers and the temperature accuracy of several Kelvins. An aerosol abundance, which influences the temperature profile, is obtained from the continuum of the same spectrum parallel with the temperature profile and is taken into account in the temperature retrieval procedure in a self consistent way. Although this method has the limited vertical resolution, it possesses a significant advantage: the thermal IR spectrometry allows to monitor the temperature profiles with a good coverage both in space and local time. The Planetary Fourier spectrometer on board of Mars Express has the spectral range from 250 to 8000 cm⁻¹ and a high spectral resolution of about 2 cm⁻¹. Vertical temperature profiles retrieval is one of the main scientific goals of the experiment. The important data are expected to be obtained on the vertical thermal structure of the atmosphere, and its dependence on latitude, longitude, season, local time, clouds and dust loadings. These results should give a significant input in the future MIRA, being included in the Chapter “Structure of the atmosphere from the surface to 100 km”.     

H2O concentration in the middle atmosphere: Processing of LIMS radiance measurements with a research algorithm

Transmittance functions as well as inversion algorithms have been developed for deriving H₂O profiles from radiometer measurements. These computer programs have been applied to evaluate own stratospheric balloon occultation measurements and LIMS (Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere) radiance measurements in the H₂O channel. The results are compared with the H₂O profiles in the LIMS data archive. The differences between corresponding H₂O profiles are discussed in dependence of altitude and latitude.     

Measurements of H I and O VI velocity distributions in the extended solar corona with UVCS/SOHO and UVCS/Spartan 201

The Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer on the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, UVCS/SOHO, and the Ultraviolet Coronal Spectrometer on the Spartan 201 satellite, UVCS/Spartan, have been used to measure H I 1215.67 Å line profiles in polar coronal holes of the Sun at projected heliocentric heights between 1.5 and 3.0 R_⊙. UVCS/SOHO also measured line profiles for H I 1025.72 Å, O VI 1032/1037 Å, and Mg X 625 Å. The reported UVCS/SOHO observations were made between 5 April and 21 June 1996 and the UVCS/Spartan observations were made between 11 and 12 April 1993. Both sets of measurements indicate that a significant fraction of the protons along the line of sight in coronal holes have velocities larger than those for a Maxwellian velocity distribution at the expected electron temperature. Most probable speeds for O⁵⁺ velocity distributions along the lines of sight are smaller than those of H⁰ at 1.5 R_⊙, are comparable at about 1.7 R_⊙ and become significantly larger than the H⁰ velocities above 2 R_⊙. There is a tendency for the O⁵⁺ line of sight velocity distribution in concentrations of polar plumes to be more narrow than those in regions away from such concentrations. UVCS/SOHO has identified 31 spectral lines in the extended solar corona.     

Fabrication and flight performance of a large area balloon borne hard X-ray telescope

We describe the fabrication and flight performance of a balloon-borne large area hard X-ray (20–100 keV) telescope for spectral studies of discrete cosmic X-ray sources. The telescope consists of two multi-wire Xenon filled proportional counters of effective area 1200 cm² each, mounted on an orientable platform. It can be pre-programmed to track any celestial source with a pointing accuracy of 0.5 degrees. For one hour of observation the telescope has a 5 σ detection sensitivity of 10⁻⁵ ph cm⁻² s⁻¹. The laboratory test results and the performance in a series of balloon flights conducted in 1984–1986 period is discussed and the preliminary results obtained for some X-ray sources are presented.     

Rocket-borne measurements of atmospheric infrared emissions by spectrometric techniques

As part of the MAP/WINE Campaign 1983/84 a liquid helium cooled infrared grating spectrometer measured night zenith radiances of CO₂, O₃, and H₂O in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere. From a comparison of the measured spectral radiances with results from LTE radiative transfer calculations atmospheric temperatures and concentration profiles of H₂O and O₃ were determined, showing some interesting features. The ozone densities obtained appear to contradict model predictions based upon the assumption that ozone is in photochemical equilibrium at mesospheric heights. Since the ozone density distribution shows quite similar structures as the vertical wind profile, transport effects seem to play a major role in the mesospheric ozone formation.     

Mesospheric H2O and H2O2 densities inferred from in situ positive ion composition measurement

The measurements of positive ion composition in the high latitude D-region have revealed an excess of 34⁺ under distrubed conditions which has been interpreted as H₂O₂⁺. At the same altitude range near the transition height oxonium ions were measured as well. This paper presents a new model for the production and loss of oxonium ions with their production from H₂O₂⁺ + H₂O → H₃O⁺ + HO₂ and their loss by attachment of N₂ and/or CO₂. A reaction constant of 8.5×10^?28 (300/T)⁴ cm⁶s^?1 has been obtained for the three body attachment H₃O⁺ + CO₂ + M → H₃O⁺.CO₂ + M from the measured density profile of 63⁺ in flight 18.1020. Mesospheric H₂O and H₂O₂ densities are inferred from measurements of four high latitude ion compositions based on the oxonium model. The mixing ratios of hydrogen peroxide are up to two orders of magnitude higher compared to previous model calculations. In order to explain the missing production of odd hydrogen, we consider larger O(¹D) densities, surface reactions of O(³P) on particles, and cathalytic photodissociation of water vapor on aerosol particles.     

Atomic oxygen concentrations in the lower auroral thermosphere

Atomic oxygen concentrations derived from the nightglow components of O₂(b¹Σ_g⁺ ? X³Σ_g^?) (0-0) Atmospheric Band emission profiles obtained during two rocket-borne photometer measurements of aurora are presented. The peak atomic oxygen concentrations of 2–3 × 10¹¹ cm^?3 are in better agreement with those of the MSIS-83 model than the CIRA 1972 mean reference atmosphere, although the shapes of the two derived profiles differ considerably from that of MSIS-83. The derived concentrations do not contradict the suggestion made by some investigators that the atomic oxygen concentrations in the auroral zone are depleted relative to their mid-latitude values.     

Reconstruction of topside density profile by using the topside sounder model profiler and digisonde data

To improve the accuracy of the real time topside electron density profiles given by the Digisonde software a new model-assisted technique is used. This technique uses the Topside Sounder Model (TSM), which provides the plasma scale height (H_s), O⁺–H⁺ transition height (H_T), and their ratio Rt = H_s/H_T, derived from topside sounder data of Alouette and ISIS satellites. The Topside Sounder Model Profiler (TSMP) incorporates TSM and uses the model quantities as anchor points in construction of topside density (Ne) profiles. For any particular location, TSMP calculates topside Ne profiles by specifying the values of foF2 and hmF2. In the present version, TSMP takes the F2 peak characteristics – foF2, hmF2, and the scale height at hmF2 – from the Digisonde measurements. The paper shows results for the Digisonde stations Athens and Juliusruh. It is found that the topside scale height used in Digisonde reconstruction is less than that extracted from topside sounder profiles. Rough comparison of their bulk distributions showed that they differ by an average factor of 1.25 for locations of Athens and Juliusruh. When the Digisonde scale heights are adjusted by this factor, the reconstructed topside profiles are close to those provided by TSM. Compared with CHAMP reconstruction profiles in two cases, TSMP/Digisonde profiles show lower density between 400 and 2000 km.     

Compact X-ray sources in nearby galaxy nuclei

We have found compact, near-nuclear X-ray sources in 21 (54%) of a complete sample of 39 nearby face-on spiral and elliptical galaxies with available ROSAT HRI data. ROSAT X-ray luminosities (0.2 – 2.4 keV) of these compact X-ray sources are ∼10³⁷ – 10⁴⁰ erg s⁻¹. The mean displacement between the location of the compact X-ray source and the optical photometric center of the galaxy is ∼390 pc. ASCA spectra of six of the 21 galaxies show the presence of a hard component with relatively steep (Γ ≈ 2.5) spectral slope. A multicolor disk blackbody plus power-law model fits the data from the spiral galaxies well, suggesting that the X-ray objects in these galaxies may be similar to a black hole candidate (BHC) in its soft (high) state. ASCA data from the elliptical galaxies indicate that hot (kT ≈ 0.7 keV) gas dominates the emission. The fact that the spectral slope of the spiral galaxy sources is steeper than in normal type 1 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and that relatively low absorbing columns (N_H ≈ 10²¹ cm⁻²) were found to the power-law component indicates that these objects are somehow geometrically and/or physically different from AGNs in normal active galaxies. The X-ray sources in the spiral galaxies may be BHCs, low-luminosity AGNs, or possibly X-ray luminous supernovae. We estimate the black hole masses of the X-ray sources in the spiral galaxies (if they are BHCs or AGNs) to be ∼10²–10³ M_⊙. The X-ray sources in the elliptical galaxies may be BHCs, AGNs or young X-ray supernova also.     

Mass spectrometric measurements of stratospheric ions

Recent in situ measurements with balloon borne quadrupole mass spectrometers, between 20 and 45 km altitude, are reviewed and discussed.The major stratospheric positive ions observed are proton hydrates [H⁺(H₂O)_n] and non proton hydrates of the form H⁺X_m(H₂O)₂. The data analysis allows a derivation of the vertical mixing ratio profile of X (most probably CH₃CN), which is compared with recent model calculations. From negative ion composition data, showing the presence of NO₃^? and HSO₄^? cluster ions, the density of sulfuric acid in the stratosphere is deduced. The implications of these findings on our understanding of the sulfur chemistry is briefly treated.Finally some other aspects such as contamination, cluster break up and the use of stratospheric ion mass spectra for determination of thermochemical data and other minor constituents are discussed.     

Measurement of minor species (H2, Cl,O3, NO) in the earth's atmosphere by the occultation technique

The stellar occultation technique is a clean and powerful means of detecting and quantifying minor gases in the earth's atmosphere. The results obtained are totally insensitive to knowledge of the absolute flux of the star, and are not influenced by instrument calibration problems. Pioneering observations of nocturnal mesospheric ozone and thermospheric molecular oxygen by the stellar occultation technique were made in 1970 and 1971 with the Wisconsin stellar photometers on board the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory-2. A limb crossing geometry was used. The high resolution Princeton ultraviolet spectrometer aboard Copernicus was used in the summers of 1975, 1976 and 1977 to measure altitude profiles of molecular hydrogen, atomic chlorine and nitric oxide in addition to ozone and molecular oxygen. A limb grazing geometry was employed. The ozone densities show wide variation from orbit to orbit and particularly betewen the OAO-2 and Copernicus observations. A H₂ density of 1×10⁸ cm^?3 at 95 km, and a NO density less than 10⁶ cm^?3 for altitudes greater than 85 km were measured.     

Transport of ions in presence of induced electric field and electrostatic turbulence: Source of ions injected into ring current

The transport of ions from the polar ionosphere to the inner magnetosphere during stormtime conditions has been computed using a Monte Carlo diffusion code. The effect of the electrostatic turbulence assumed to be present during the substorm expansion phase was simulated by a process that accelerated the ions stochastically perpendicular to the magnetic field with a diffusion coefficient proportional to the energization rate of the ions by the induced electric field. This diffusion process was continued as the ions were convected from the plasma sheet boundary layer to the double-spiral injection boundary. Inward of the injection boundary, the ions were convected adiabatically. By using as input an O⁺ flux of 2.8 × 10⁸ cm^?2 s^?1 (w > 10 eV) and an H⁺ flux of 5.5 × 10⁸ cm^?2 s^?1 (w > .63 eV), the computed distribution functions of the ions in the ring current were found to be in good agreement, over a wide range in L (4 to 8), with measurements made with the ISEE-1 satellite during a storm. This O⁺ flux and a large part of the H⁺ flux are consistent with the DE satellite measurements of the polar ionospheric outflow during disturbed times.     

Satellite observations of upper atmosphere O3 and HNO3 from the Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere (LIMS) experiment on Nimbus 7

The Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere (LIMS) experiment is a limb scanning infrared sounder designed to measure vertical temperature profiles and the concentrations of key chemical compounds which are important in the stratospheric ozone-nitrogen photochemistry. This paper describes results from the O₃ and HNO₃ channels with emphasis on validation of the data. Similar discussions of results from the other channels are presented in two companion papers published in these proceedings.     

SCIAMACHY limb measurements of NO2, BrO and OClO. Retrieval of vertical profiles: Algorithm,first results,sensitivity and comparison studies

The Scanning Imaging Absorption Spectrometer for Atmospheric Chartography (SCIAMACHY) measures scattered sun light also in limb viewing mode (i.e. tangential to Earth’s surface and its atmosphere), which allows determining vertical profiles of atmospheric trace gases. First results on the retrieval of NO₂, BrO and OClO profiles from the SCIAMACHY Limb measurements are presented and compared to independent satellite and balloon borne observations.     

The variability of stratospheric nitrogen compounds observed by LIMS in the winter of 1978–1979

The LIMS experiment was launched on the Nimbus 7 satellite for the purpose of sounding the vertical structure of temperature and key upper atmosphere trace gases on a global scale. The technique of thermal infrared limb sounding was used to obtain measurements of O₃, H₂O, NO₂, and HNO₃. LIMS collected data almost continuously from late October to late May over the latitude range from 64°S to 84°N. Two of the gases, NO₂ and HNO₃, are important elements in the NO_x chain of chemical reactions leading to ozone destruction. We will describe results for these gases in terms of zonal mean profiles and latitudinal distributions. The period selected for study is January–May 1979, when a major stratospheric warming occurred.     

High-density and high-temperature molecular gas around the AGN in M51

We investigated the physical properties of molecular gas in the nuclear region of M51 (Seyfert 2). We obtained an aperture synthesis ¹³CO(J = 1 − 0) image using the Nobeyama Millimeter Array (NMA), and compared it with NMA ¹²CO(J = 1 − 0) and HCN(J = 1 − 0) maps at similar spatial resolutions. Within a radius of 180 pc from the center, the ¹³CO(1 − 0) integrated intensity was found to be 3 times weaker than that of HCN(1 − 0). Large-Velocity-Gradient (LVG) calculations suggest that the observed high HCN(1 − 0)/¹³CO(1 − 0) intensity ratio would arise from dense (n_H2 ∼ 10⁵ cm⁻³) and hot (T_kin ≳ 300 K) molecular clouds in the nuclear molecular disk. We also observed in the ¹²CO(1 − 0), (3 − 2), ¹³CO(1 − 0), and (3 − 2) lines using the Nobeyama 45m and JCMT 15m telescopes. We detected weak ¹³CO lines as well as strong ¹²CO lines. The LVG calculations assuming a two-component model suggest that there is a large amount of low-density (n_H2 ∼ 3 − 6 × 10² cm⁻³), low-temperature (T_kin ∼ 20 – 50 K) gas, and a small amount of high-density (n_H2 ≳ 10⁴ cm⁻³), high-temperature (T_kin ≳ 500 K) gas. The existence of the high-density and high-temperature component, although having a quite small beam filling factor, supports the aperture synthesis observation results mentioned above. Since this dense, hot gas is located in the nuclear molecular disk around the Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN), it may be heated by the strong X-ray radiation and/or by the shock induced by the radio jet.     

Soil moisture mapping over the Chinese Loess Plateau using ENVISAT/ASAR data

In this paper, we used the available algorithm for soil moisture estimation over LOPEX05 (the Loess Plateau land surface process Experiment (2005)) area. The available algorithm used ENVISAT/ASAR AP mode VV polarization observational data at a low incidence angle and ground measured soil moistures. The ground measurements were performed in the summer of the 2005 during the LOPEX05 field campaign. The validated results indicate that an average difference between the soil moistures estimated from the microwave remote sensing and ground measurements is less than 0.02 cm³/cm³, with a RMS error of 2.0%, and a maximum less than 0.04 cm³/cm³. The algorithm was applied to the surface soil moisture mapping later. The results show that this algorithm is suitable for monitoring soil moisture information of the agricultural fields over the Chinese Loess Plateau, when ground land cover situation and the resolution of imagery data are taken into account. However, we also find that there are large differences over the steep slope region, the edge of mesa. The results are not acceptable for surface soil moisture estimation in these regions. Thus, the surface soil moisture retrieval in the steep slope region of the Loess Plateau need to be further investigated in the future.     

Mass spectrometry in the stratosphere

During the last few years a gas expansion system, combined with a mass spectrometer has been developed and successfully flown in the stratosphere. Neutral gas particles are formed into a molecular beam which traverses the ion source of the mass spectrometer without wall interactions. Vertical profiles of constituents such as H₂O, CO₂ and O₃ have been measured in the altitude range of 20 to 40 km during balloon descents. Isotopes of major atmospheric gases (N₂, O₂, Ar) provided in-flight calibration standards.Before each flight the mass spectrometer system was calibrated in the laboratory for many gases of interest, including ozone. Mixing ratios of ozone determined from recent flights have accuracies of better than 5%. The sensitivity of the system was sufficiently high to detect, in addition, the heavy isotope of ozone at mass 50. A pronounced enhancement of heavy ozone in the upper stratosphere has been found. The mass spectrometer system provides the unique opportunity to perform in the stratospherein-situ measurements combined with isotopic studies.     

Capability for ozone high-precision retrieval on JEM/SMILES observation

We estimate the capability of ozone (O₃) retrieval with the Superconducting Submillimeter-Wave Limb-Emission Sounder (SMILES) instrument attached to the Exposed Facility of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) on the International Space Station (ISS). SMILES carries a 4-K mechanical refrigerator to cool superconducting devices in space. Since SMILES has high sensitivity thanks to the superconducting receiver, it is expected that SMILES has ability to retrieve O₃ profiles more precisely than the previous millimeter–submillimeter limb measurements from satellites.