Spatial and temporal distribution of extinction and microphysical properties in the upper haze of Venus
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1.School of Environmental Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China;2.Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China;3.Key Laboratory of Optical Calibration and Characterization Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China

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Aerospace Science and Technology Innovation Application Research Project (E23Y0H555S1); Aviation Science and Technology Innovation Application Research Project (62502510201)

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    Abstract:

    Variations of extinction and microphysical properties in the upper haze of Venus will affect the chemistry and radiative balance of the Venus atmosphere. To study their spatial and temporal distribution, solar occultation data from Venus Express SPICAV SOIR instruments between 2006 and 2013 were analyzed. The absorption effects of the Venus' middle and upper atmosphere were first removed using MODTRAN modeling. The extinction profiles of the upper haze between 67~92 km were then retrieved using the onion-peeling method. The results show that: 1) The extinction coefficient of the upper haze generally decreased with increasing altitude. Large variations existed between different regions. The extinction at low latitudes increased sharply early in the mission and the average extinction coefficient of haze changes slightly between day and night. The vertical optical depth of the haze layer was on the order of 10-2. 2) The number density of the upper haze decreased with increasing altitude. From south to north pole, the number density first increased and then decreased. 3) Cloud top altitude is higher in low-latitude regions at 82.7 ± 5.8 km, whereas in polar regions cloud top altitude is lower with the the northern polar region at 73.3 ± 2.4 km, and the southern polar region at 79.5 ± 3.5 km. The average scale height of the upper haze layer in the northern polar region is 4.0 ± 0.9 km.

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History
  • Received:October 30,2023
  • Revised:January 05,2024
  • Adopted:January 09,2024
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