Study of CH4 absorption bands in the spectrum of Uranus
Abstract
The CH4 absorption bands at 5430, 5570, 5760, 5970, and 6190 A are investigated in spectrograms of Uranus obtained with a dispersion of 6 A/mm. Various optical parameters of the planet's atmosphere are determined, including the aerosol scattering factor, the optical depth of the atmosphere above the clouds, and the probability of quantum survival. The 6190-A absorption band is analyzed in the framework of a simple scattering model, and an equivalent ray path in this band of about 920 to 1050 m-atm is computed. The equivalent methane depth in the atmosphere above the clouds is estimated to range from about 74 to 84 m-atm for scattering-indicatrix asymmetry parameters of both 0.75 and 0.0 on the basis of a multiple-scattering model.
- Publication:
-
Astronomicheskii Vestnik
- Pub Date:
- June 1977
- Bibcode:
- 1977AVest..11...90A
- Keywords:
-
- Absorption Spectra;
- Methane;
- Planetary Atmospheres;
- Uranus (Planet);
- Aerosols;
- Atmospheric Models;
- Light Scattering;
- Lunar and Planetary Exploration