On seasonal phenomena in Saturn's atmosphere: new observations of Saturn's 3ν3 methane band.
Abstract
Saturn's 3nu3 CH4 band has been reobserved during April-June 1976, using the same telescope and spectrographic set-up used to study this band during the 1970 apparition. Direct comparison of the ratio spectra Saturn/moon reveals greater absorption in the manifold cores during 1976, but the increase is not as pronounced as that for the stronger CH4 bands. The rotational temperature and effective pressure of this band did not change significantly. These results are interpreted in terms of a possibly seasonal settling of the upper boundary of Saturn's atmospheric haze layer.
- Publication:
-
Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
- Pub Date:
- October 1979
- DOI:
- 10.1086/130573
- Bibcode:
- 1979PASP...91..702T
- Keywords:
-
- Absorption Spectra;
- Abundance;
- Annual Variations;
- Methane;
- Molecular Spectra;
- Saturn Atmosphere;
- Atmospheric Composition;
- Hydrogen;
- Spectral Bands;
- Stellar Temperature;
- Lunar and Planetary Exploration;
- Methane:Saturn Atmosphere