Observations of C 2H 6 and C 2H 2 in the stratosphere of Saturn

Pedro V. Sada; Gordon L. Bjoraker; Donald E. Jennings; Paul N. Romani; George H. McCabe

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2004.08.006

Observations of C 2H 6 and C 2H 2 in the stratosphere of Saturn

Pedro V. Sada, Gordon L. Bjoraker, Donald E. Jennings, Paul N. Romani, George H. McCabe

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

27 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We have performed high-resolution spectral observations at mid-infrared wavelengths of C ₂H ₆ (12.16 μm), and C ₂H ₂ (13.45 μm) on Saturn. These emission features probe the stratosphere of the planet and provide information on the hydrocarbon photochemical processes taking place in that region of the atmosphere. The observations were performed using our cryogenic echelle spectrometer Celeste, in conjunction with the McMath-Pierce 1.5-m solar telescope in November and December 1994. We used Voyager IRIS CH ₄ observations (7.67 μm) to derive a temperature profile on the saturnian atmosphere for the P ≤ ∼ 1.6 mbar region of the stratosphere. This profile was then used in conjunction with height-dependent volume mixing ratios of each hydrocarbon to determine global abundances for ethane and acetylene. Our ground-based measurements indicate abundances of 6.7 _-2.3 ^+3.3 × 10 ^-6 for C ₂H ₆ (1.0 mbar pressure level), and 3.4 _-1.1 ^+1.5 × 10 ^-7 for C ₂H ₂ (1.6 mbar pressure level). We also derived new mixing ratios from the Voyager mid-latitude IRIS observations; 8.6 ± 0.9 × 10 ^-6 for C ₂ H ₆ (0.1-3.0 mbar pressure level), and 1.6 ± 0.2 × 10 ^-7 for C ₂H ₂ (2.0 mbar pressure level).

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	499-507
Number of pages	9
Journal	Icarus
Volume	173
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2004.08.006
Publication status	Published - 1 Feb 2005
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We thank the McMath–Pierce Telescope staff for their assistance during the observations. We also thank the referees for their helpful comments and suggestions. This research was supported by the NASA Planetary Astronomy Program. Celeste was built by IR Systems and Wallace. The detector array was supplied by Rockwell Science Center.

Copyright:
Copyright 2005 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Access to Document

10.1016/j.icarus.2004.08.006

http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2005Icar..173..499S

Cite this

@article{4a1a89ba5cf644ab890f2b2c0c0b99dc,

title = "Observations of C 2H 6 and C 2H 2 in the stratosphere of Saturn",

abstract = "We have performed high-resolution spectral observations at mid-infrared wavelengths of C 2H 6 (12.16 μm), and C 2H 2 (13.45 μm) on Saturn. These emission features probe the stratosphere of the planet and provide information on the hydrocarbon photochemical processes taking place in that region of the atmosphere. The observations were performed using our cryogenic echelle spectrometer Celeste, in conjunction with the McMath-Pierce 1.5-m solar telescope in November and December 1994. We used Voyager IRIS CH 4 observations (7.67 μm) to derive a temperature profile on the saturnian atmosphere for the P ≤ ∼ 1.6 mbar region of the stratosphere. This profile was then used in conjunction with height-dependent volume mixing ratios of each hydrocarbon to determine global abundances for ethane and acetylene. Our ground-based measurements indicate abundances of 6.7 -2.3 +3.3 × 10 -6 for C 2H 6 (1.0 mbar pressure level), and 3.4 -1.1 +1.5 × 10 -7 for C 2H 2 (1.6 mbar pressure level). We also derived new mixing ratios from the Voyager mid-latitude IRIS observations; 8.6 ± 0.9 × 10 -6 for C 2 H 6 (0.1-3.0 mbar pressure level), and 1.6 ± 0.2 × 10 -7 for C 2H 2 (2.0 mbar pressure level).",

author = "Sada, {Pedro V.} and Bjoraker, {Gordon L.} and Jennings, {Donald E.} and Romani, {Paul N.} and McCabe, {George H.}",

note = "Funding Information: We thank the McMath–Pierce Telescope staff for their assistance during the observations. We also thank the referees for their helpful comments and suggestions. This research was supported by the NASA Planetary Astronomy Program. Celeste was built by IR Systems and Wallace. The detector array was supplied by Rockwell Science Center. Copyright: Copyright 2005 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.",

year = "2005",

month = feb,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.icarus.2004.08.006",

language = "English",

volume = "173",

pages = "499--507",

journal = "Icarus",

issn = "0019-1035",

publisher = "Academic Press Inc.",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Observations of C 2H 6 and C 2H 2 in the stratosphere of Saturn

AU - Sada, Pedro V.

AU - Bjoraker, Gordon L.

AU - Jennings, Donald E.

AU - Romani, Paul N.

AU - McCabe, George H.

N1 - Funding Information: We thank the McMath–Pierce Telescope staff for their assistance during the observations. We also thank the referees for their helpful comments and suggestions. This research was supported by the NASA Planetary Astronomy Program. Celeste was built by IR Systems and Wallace. The detector array was supplied by Rockwell Science Center. Copyright: Copyright 2005 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

PY - 2005/2/1

Y1 - 2005/2/1

N2 - We have performed high-resolution spectral observations at mid-infrared wavelengths of C 2H 6 (12.16 μm), and C 2H 2 (13.45 μm) on Saturn. These emission features probe the stratosphere of the planet and provide information on the hydrocarbon photochemical processes taking place in that region of the atmosphere. The observations were performed using our cryogenic echelle spectrometer Celeste, in conjunction with the McMath-Pierce 1.5-m solar telescope in November and December 1994. We used Voyager IRIS CH 4 observations (7.67 μm) to derive a temperature profile on the saturnian atmosphere for the P ≤ ∼ 1.6 mbar region of the stratosphere. This profile was then used in conjunction with height-dependent volume mixing ratios of each hydrocarbon to determine global abundances for ethane and acetylene. Our ground-based measurements indicate abundances of 6.7 -2.3 +3.3 × 10 -6 for C 2H 6 (1.0 mbar pressure level), and 3.4 -1.1 +1.5 × 10 -7 for C 2H 2 (1.6 mbar pressure level). We also derived new mixing ratios from the Voyager mid-latitude IRIS observations; 8.6 ± 0.9 × 10 -6 for C 2 H 6 (0.1-3.0 mbar pressure level), and 1.6 ± 0.2 × 10 -7 for C 2H 2 (2.0 mbar pressure level).

AB - We have performed high-resolution spectral observations at mid-infrared wavelengths of C 2H 6 (12.16 μm), and C 2H 2 (13.45 μm) on Saturn. These emission features probe the stratosphere of the planet and provide information on the hydrocarbon photochemical processes taking place in that region of the atmosphere. The observations were performed using our cryogenic echelle spectrometer Celeste, in conjunction with the McMath-Pierce 1.5-m solar telescope in November and December 1994. We used Voyager IRIS CH 4 observations (7.67 μm) to derive a temperature profile on the saturnian atmosphere for the P ≤ ∼ 1.6 mbar region of the stratosphere. This profile was then used in conjunction with height-dependent volume mixing ratios of each hydrocarbon to determine global abundances for ethane and acetylene. Our ground-based measurements indicate abundances of 6.7 -2.3 +3.3 × 10 -6 for C 2H 6 (1.0 mbar pressure level), and 3.4 -1.1 +1.5 × 10 -7 for C 2H 2 (1.6 mbar pressure level). We also derived new mixing ratios from the Voyager mid-latitude IRIS observations; 8.6 ± 0.9 × 10 -6 for C 2 H 6 (0.1-3.0 mbar pressure level), and 1.6 ± 0.2 × 10 -7 for C 2H 2 (2.0 mbar pressure level).

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=14044252811&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=14044252811&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/93f84daa-4228-3baf-99f0-17b021fa2808/

U2 - 10.1016/j.icarus.2004.08.006

DO - 10.1016/j.icarus.2004.08.006

M3 - Article

SN - 0019-1035

VL - 173

SP - 499

EP - 507

JO - Icarus

JF - Icarus

IS - 2

ER -

Observations of C 2H 6 and C 2H 2 in the stratosphere of Saturn

Abstract

Bibliographical note

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this