MOLECULAR ABSORPTION BANDS IN JUPITER TROPOSPHERE RESEARCH

Аннотация

Based on spectrophotometric observations of Jupiter, made since 2004, some features of the behavior
of the methane and ammonia absorption bands on the planet's disk, are discussed. In the meridional course of the
observed variations in the equivalent widths of both ammonia and methane in the 6000A - 8000A spectral range,
there are both similar elements and differences. Variations in the equivalent widths of ammonia absorption bands at
6450 Å and 7870A show a decrease in absorption in the low and moderate latitudes of the northern hemisphere. In
the 7870 Å band, compared to the 6450 Å band, the ammonia absorption depression in the region of the Northern
Equatorial Belt is narrower in latitudes and some more deeper. With similar latitudinal variations in methane
absorption, systematic differences are observed in the position of extrema for different bands of ammonia and
methane. The importance of studying the behavior of absorption bands for optical probing of the troposphere of
Jupiter is noted. The alternatives of the model of the troposphere structure and ammonia cloud on Jupiter are
discussed. The first model assumes the existence of a geometrically and optically thick ammonia cloud layer. In this
layer, the formation of the observed molecular absorption bands in the process of multiple scattering mainly occurs.
An alternative model assumes the presence of a geometrically and optically thin layer of ammonia clouds. The bulk
of the molecular absorption in this case is created in the troposphere between the cloud layers of ammonia and
ammonium hydrosulfide. The need for further research in this direction is noted. One of the important results, so far
preliminary, was the differences we found in the latitudinal position of the extremes of the intensities of the
molecular absorption bands on Jupiter. This feature is most likely due to the difference in the conditions of formation
of different absorption bands in the ammonia cloud layer and the underlying troposphere. The complexity and
ambiguity of the mechanism of formation of molecular absorption bands requires further consideration of both
various models of the structure of the Jovian atmosphere and further detailed spectral observations of Jupiter, with
particular emphasis on the study of weak and moderate absorption bands, which we would like to draw attention to in
this publication