Distribution of the O[SUB]2[/SUB] infrared nightglow observed with VIRTIS on board Venus Express

Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects: Venus; Planetary Sciences: Fluid Planets: Atmospheres (0343; 1060); Planetary Sciences: Fluid Planets: Composition (1060); Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Thermosphere: composition and chemistry

Abstract :

[en] We present characteristics of the statistical horizontal distribution of the O[SUB]2[/SUB] infrared nightglow over most of the southern hemisphere observed with the VIRTIS instrument over a period spanning nearly 11 months of low solar activity. We show that the distribution is inhomogeneous with the regions of brightest emission reaching ~3 MegaRayleighs (MR) located at low latitude near and dawnward of the midnight meridian. The hemispherically averaged nadir brightness is 1.3 MR, in very good agreement with earlier ground based observations. We show that the dayside supply of O atoms is sufficient to produce the observed global O[SUB]2[/SUB] nightglow if approximately 50% of the dayside O production is carried to the nightside by the subsolar to antisolar global circulation. Limb profiles observed at northern mid-latitudes exhibit large intensity variations over short time periods. Calculations with a one-dimensional chemical diffusive model produce an airglow peak at 96 km, in agreement with the limb observations. The atomic oxygen density derived from the best fits to O[SUB]2[/SUB] airglow limb profiles reaches a maximum of 1.8-3.5 × 10[SUP]11[/SUP] cm[SUP]-3[/SUP] at 104 km.

Disciplines :

Space science, astronomy & astrophysics

Author, co-author :

Gérard, Jean-Claude ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Labo de physique atmosphérique et planétaire (LPAP)

Saglam, Adem ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Labo de physique atmosphérique et planétaire (LPAP)

Piccioni, G.

Drossart, P.

Cox, Cédric ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Labo de physique atmosphérique et planétaire (LPAP)

Erard, S.

Hueso, R.

Sánchez-Lavega, A.

Language :

English

Title :

Distribution of the O[SUB]2[/SUB] infrared nightglow observed with VIRTIS on board Venus Express

Publication date :

01 January 2008

Journal title :

Geophysical Research Letters

ISSN :

0094-8276

eISSN :

1944-8007

Publisher :

American Geophysical Union, Washington, United States - District of Columbia

Volume :

Pages :

02207

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Additional URL :

http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2008GeoRL..3502207G

Available on ORBi :

since 23 November 2009

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