Retrograde winds on Venus - Possible periodic variations

Abstract

Spectroscopic observations of the differential Doppler shift in a CO2 absorption line on Venus show that the upper atmospheric wind near the equator appears to have both a retrograde motion of about -85 + or - 10 m/s (confirming previous results) and, in addition, a periodically varying component, with an amplitude of about 40 + or - 14 m/s and a period of 4.3 + or - 0.2 days.