Temperature estimation from hydroxyl airglow emission in the Venus night side mesosphere

Journal
Date Issued
2018
Author(s)
•
Snels, M.
•
Gérard, J. -C.
•
Soret, L.
•
•
Drossart, P.
DOI
Abstract
The temperature of the night side of Venus at about 95 km has been determined by using spectral features of the hydroxyl airglow emission around 3 μm, recorded from July 2006 to July 2008 by VIRTIS onboard Venus Express. The retrieved temperatures vary from 145.5 to about 198.1 K with an average value of 176.3 ± 14.3 K and are in good agreement with previous ground-based and space observations. The variability with respect to latitude and local time has been studied, showing a minimum of temperature at equatorial latitudes, while temperature values increase toward mid latitudes with a local maximum at about 35°N. The present work provides an independent contribution to the temperature estimation in the transition region between the Venus upper mesosphere and the lower thermosphere, by using the OH emission as a thermometer, following the technique previously applied to the high-resolution O2(a1∆g) airglow emissions observed from ground.
Volume
300
Start page
386
Uri
Url
Issn Identifier
0019-1035
Ads BibCode
2018Icar..300..386M
Rights
restricted
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