Methane abundance in the atmosphere of Uranus
Abstract
Modeling of the geometric albedo of Uranus in and near prominent methane absorption bands between 0.5 and 0.9 μm indicates that the visible atmosphere probably consists of a thin aerosol haze layer ( τscat ≅ 0.3-0.5; ωH ≅ 0.95) above an optically thick, semi-infinite Rayleigh scattering atmosphere. A significant depletion of methane gas above the haze layer is indicated. The mixing ratio of methane in the lower atmosphere is consistent with a value of CH 4/H 2 ≅ 3 × 10 -3, comparable to those derived for Jupiter and Saturn.
- Publication:
-
Icarus
- Pub Date:
- March 1983
- DOI:
- 10.1016/0019-1035(83)90204-X
- Bibcode:
- 1983Icar...53..389T
- Keywords:
-
- Abundance;
- Albedo;
- Atmospheric Models;
- Methane;
- Uranus Atmosphere;
- Absorption Spectra;
- Aerosols;
- Atmospheric Stratification;
- Optical Thickness;
- Planetology;
- Rayleigh Scattering;
- Spectral Bands;
- URANUS;
- ATMOSPHERE;
- METHANE;
- ABUNDANCE;
- MODELS;
- ALBEDO;
- AEROSOL;
- OPTICAL PROPERTIES;
- THICKNESS;
- GASES;
- MIXING;
- COMPARISONS