The Effects of Heavy Precipitation on Polarimetric Radio Occultation (PRO) Bending Angle Observations
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Candidate space missions to study the temperature profiles, and ratios of hydrogen to helium in outer planet atmospheres are discussed in terms of scientific payloads for optical occultation, radio occultation, and thermometer measurements.
The Voyager 2 encounter with Uranus and Neptune, and Galileo with Jupiter are described. The opportunities and capabilities for ring studies are discussed. At Uranus, stellar occultation, radio occultation, solar occultation, and imaging studies are possible. At Neptune, only stellar occultations and imaging seem promising. The Galileo ultraviolet spectrometer and dust collector offer interesting possibilities for ring studies.
Radio absorptivity data for planetary atmospheres obtained from spacecraft radio occultation experiments, entry probe radio signal absorption measurements, and earth-based or spacecraft-based radio astronomical (emission) observations can be used to infer abundances of microwave absorbing constituents in those atmospheres, as long as reliable information regarding the microwave absorbing properties of potential constituents is available. The use of theoretically-derived microwave absorption properties for such atmospheric constituents, or the use of laboratory measurements of such properties taken under environmental conditions that are significantly different than those of the planetary atmosphere being studied, often leads to significant misinterpretation of available opacity data. Laboratory measurements have shown that the centimeter-wavelength opacity from gaseous phosphine (PH3) under simulated conditions for the outer planets far exceeds that predicted from theory over a wide range of temperatures and pressures. This fundamentally changed the resulting interpretation of Voyager radio occultation data at Saturn and Neptune. It also directly impacts planning and scientific goals for study of Saturn's atmosphere with the Cassini Radio Science Experiment and the Rossini RADAR instrument. The recognition of the need to make such laboratory measurements of simulated planetary atmospheres over a range of temperatures and pressures which correspond to the altitudes probed by both radio occultation experiments and radio astronomical observations, and over a range of frequencies which correspond to those used in both spacecraft entry probe and orbiter (or flyby) radio occultation experiments and radio astronomical observations, has led to the development of a facility at Georgia Tech which is capable of making such measurements. It has been the goal of this investigation to conduct such measurements and to apply the results to a wide range of planetary observations, both spacecraft- and earth-based, in order to determine the identity and abundance profiles of constituents in those planetary atmospheres,
Radio occultation measurements of Saturn's rings as measured by the Mariner Jupiter/Saturn radio science experiment are reported. These signal measurements provide information on size, distribution, and density of particle material found in the rings.
Radio absorptivity data for planetary atmospheres obtained from spacecraft radio occultation experiments, entry probe radio signal absorption measurements, and earth- based or spacecraft-based radio astronomical (emission) observations can be used to infer abundances of microwave absorbing constituents in those atmospheres, as long as reliable information regarding the microwave absorbing properties of potential constituents is available. The use of theoretically-derived microwave absorption properties for such atmospheric constituents, or the use of laboratory measurements of such properties taken under environmental conditions that are significantly different than those of the planetary atmosphere being studied, often leads to significant misinterpretation of available opacity data. For example, new laboratory measurements completed recently by Mohammed and Steffes (2003 and 2004) under this grant (NAG5-12122,5/1/02-4/30/05), have shown that the millimeter-wavelength opacities from both gaseous phosphine (PH3) and gaseous ammonia ("3) under simulated conditions for the outer planets vary significantly from that predicted by theory over a wide range of temperatures and pressures. These results have directly impacted planning and scientific goals for study of Saturn's atmosphere with the Cassini Radio Science Experiment, as discussed below. The recognition of the need to make such laboratory measurements of simulated planetary atmospheres over a range of temperatures and pressures which correspond to the altitudes probed by both radio occultation experiments and radio astronomical observations, and over a range of frequencies which correspond to those used in both spacecraft entry probe and orbiter (or flyby) radio occultation experiments and radio astronomical observations, has led to the development of a facility at Georgia Tech which is capable of making such measurements. It has been the goal of this investigation to conduct such measurements and to apply the results to a wide range of planetary observations, both spacecraft and earth-based, in order to determine the identity and abundance profiles of constituents in those planetary atmospheres.