PROBING PLANETARY ATMOSPHERES WITH STELLAR OCCULTATIONS

▪ Abstract Earth-based stellar occultations probe the temperature, pressure, and number-density profiles of planetary atmospheres in the microbar range with a vertical resolution of a few kilometers. Depending on the occultation data available for a given body and other information, the technique also allows determination of local density variations, extinction by aerosols and molecules, rotation period and zonal winds, atmospheric composition, and the temporal and spatial variability of an atmosphere. A brief quantitative description of the interaction of starlight with a planetary atmosphere is presented, and observational techniques are discussed. Observational results through 1995 are presented for Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Titan, Neptune, Triton, Pluto, and Charon.

[1]  Edward W. Dunham,et al.  Exploring small bodies in the outer solar system with stellar occultations. , 1995 .

[2]  A. Code,et al.  A photometric observation of the occultation of a ARIETIS by Jupiter , 1953 .

[3]  H. Peter White,et al.  Titan: Evidence for seasonal change - A comparison of Hubble Space Telescope and Voyager images , 1992 .

[4]  K. Tryka,et al.  Temperature of nitrogen ice on Pluto and its implications for flux measurements. , 1994, Icarus.

[5]  A. L.,et al.  Limits on the Radius and a Possible Atmosphere of Charon from Its 1980 Stellar Occultation , 1991 .

[6]  A. T. Young.  Scintillations during occultations by planets. I - An approximate theory. [for planetary atmosphere structure] , 1976 .

[7]  Richard P. Binzel,et al.  A new determination of radii and limb parameters for Pluto and Charon from mutual event lightcurves , 1994 .

[8]  L. Young,et al.  Limits on the radius and a possible atmosphere of Charon from its 1980 stellar occultation , 1991 .

[9]  J. Veverka,et al.  On the reduction of occultation light curves , 1973 .

[10]  M. Rieke,et al.  The Occultation of SAO 78505 by Jupiter , 1995 .

[11]  J. Elliot,et al.  Triton stellar occultation candidates: 1995-1999 , 1995 .

[12]  James L. Elliot,et al.  Stellar Occultation Studies of the Solar System , 1979 .

[13]  R. French,et al.  Structure of the Uranian Rings: II. Ring orbits and widths , 1986 .

[14]  C. Sagan,et al.  The occultation of beta Scorpii by Jupiter. II. The hydrogen--helium abundance in the Jovian atmosphere , 1974 .

[15]  Philip D. Nicholson,et al.  Saturn's Central Flash from the 3 July 1989 Occultation of 28 Sgr at McDonald and Palomar Observatories , 1993 .

[16]  William B. Hubbard,et al.  Nonisothermal Pluto atmosphere models , 1990 .

[17]  Carl Sagan,et al.  Occultation of epsilon Geminorum by Mars. II. The structure and extinction of the Martian upper atmosphere. , 1977 .

[18]  Noah Brosch,et al.  The occultation of 28 Sgr by Titan , 1993 .

[19]  Emmanuel Lellouch,et al.  The Thermal Structure of Pluto's Atmosphere: Clear vs Hazy Models , 1994 .

[20]  J. Veverka,et al.  Stellar occultation spikes as probes of atmospheric structure and composition. [for Jupiter , 1976 .

[21]  James L. Elliot,et al.  Pluto-Charon Stellar Occultation Candidates: 1990-1995 , 1991 .

[22]  D. R. Rushneck,et al.  The composition of the atmosphere at the surface of Mars , 1977 .

[23]  R. French,et al.  The oblateness of Uranus at the 1-μbar level , 1989 .

[24]  G. F. Lindal,et al.  The atmosphere of Uranus: Results of radio occultation measurements with Voyager 2 , 1987 .

[25]  W. Hubbard,et al.  Occultation detection of a neptunian ring-like arc , 1986, Nature.

[26]  J. Elliot,et al.  The radius and ellipticity of Uranus from its occultation of SAO 158687 , 1980 .

[27]  Jonathan I. Lunine,et al.  Evidence for a molecule heavier than methane in the atmosphere of Pluto , 1989, Nature.

[28]  Donald M. Hunten,et al.  Study of planetary atmospheres by absorptive occultations , 1990 .

[29]  Scott K. Shriver,et al.  The Distribution of Water Frost on Charon , 1994 .

[30]  W. Hubbard,et al.  Stellar occultations by turbulent planetary atmospheres: The Beta Scorpii events , 1977 .

[31]  C. Sagan,et al.  Occultation of ε Geminorum by Mars: Evidence for Atmospheric Tides? , 1977, Science.

[32]  L. Horn,et al.  Infrared Observations of the Neptunian System , 1989, Science.

[33]  L A Young,et al.  Surface Ices and the Atmospheric Composition of Pluto , 1993, Science.

[34]  V. Eshleman,et al.  Pluto's atmosphere - Models based on refraction, inversion, and vapor-pressure equilibrium , 1989 .

[35]  E. Dunham,et al.  IRTF Observations of the Occultation of 28 Sgr by Saturn , 1993 .

[36]  M. Combes,et al.  The beta Scorpii occultation by Jupiter. II. The temperature and density profiles of the Jupiter upper atmosphere. , 1973 .

[37]  J. Elias,et al.  Orbits of nine Uranian rings , 1981 .

[38]  D. Wells,et al.  The occultation of beta Scorpii by Jupiter and Io. I - Jupiter. , 1972 .

[39]  L. Trafton.  A two-component volatile atmosphere for Pluto. I. The bulk hydrodynamic escape regime , 1990 .

[40]  W. Hubbard,et al.  Oblateness, radius, and mean stratospheric temperature of Neptune from the 1985 August 20 occultation , 1987 .

[41]  D. Strobel,et al.  Titan's upper atmosphere: Composition and temperature from the EUV solar occultation results , 1982 .

[42]  J. Veverka,et al.  Photometric Properties of Triton Hazes , 1994 .

[43]  R. Turco,et al.  A physical model of Titan's aerosols. , 1992, Icarus.

[44]  J. Moore,et al.  The influence of thermal inertia on temperatures and frost stability on Triton , 1992 .

[45]  J. Veverka,et al.  Stellar and spacecraft occultations by Jupiter - A critical review of derived temperature profiles , 1976 .

[46]  G. E. Taylor,et al.  Occultation of ε Geminorum by Mars: IV. Oblateness of the martian upper atmosphere , 1981 .

[47]  R. D. Watson,et al.  Occultation evidence for an atmosphere on Pluto , 1988, Nature.

[48]  D. Menzel,et al.  Results of the Occultation of Regulus by Venus, July 7, 1959 , 1960, Nature.

[49]  P. Bartholdi,et al.  The Occultation of Beta Scorpii by Jupiter and Io. II. Io , 1972 .

[50]  E. H. Linfoot.  Principles of Optics , 1961 .

[51]  J. Veverka,et al.  The Regulus occultation light curve and the real atmosphere of Venus , 1974 .

[52]  C. Sagan,et al.  The occultation of beta Scorpii by Jupiter. I - The structure of the Jovian upper atmosphere , 1974 .

[53]  D. Paige,et al.  A thermal model for the seasonal nitrogen cycle on Triton , 1992 .

[54]  R. French,et al.  Strong turbulence and atmospheric waves in stellar occultations , 1983 .

[55]  S. E. Persson,et al.  The occultation of 28 Sgr by Saturn - Saturn pole position and astrometry , 1993 .

[56]  K. Matthews,et al.  The upper atmosphere of Uranus - A critical test of isotropic turbulence models , 1982 .

[57]  James L. Elliot,et al.  Analysis of stellar occultation data for planetary atmospheres. I - Model fitting, with application to Pluto , 1992 .

[58]  Emil Wolf,et al.  Principles of Optics: Contents , 1999 .

[59]  G. E. Wood,et al.  Voyager Radio Science Observations of Neptune and Triton , 1989, Science.

[60]  J. Elias,et al.  The thermal structure and energy balance of the Uranian upper atmosphere , 1983 .

[61]  E. Thouvenot,et al.  Probing Titan's atmosphere by stellar occultation , 1990, Nature.

[62]  Henry B. Hotz,et al.  The atmosphere of Titan: An analysis of the Voyager 1 radio occultation measurements , 1981 .

[63]  J. Blamont,et al.  Ultraviolet Spectrometer Observations of Neptune and Triton , 1989, Science.

[64]  Marc W. Buie,et al.  Albedo maps of Pluto and Charon: Initial mutual event results , 1992 .

[65]  S. A. Stern,et al.  Constraints on bulk composition, seasonal variation, and global dynamics of Pluto's atmosphere , 1984 .

[66]  S. K. Croft,et al.  Voyager 2 at Neptune: Imaging Science Results , 1989, Science.

[67]  William B. Hubbard,et al.  Mirages and the Nature of Pluto's Atmosphere , 1994 .

[68]  D. Hunten,et al.  Energy balance and plume dynamics in Triton's lower atmosphere , 1991 .

[69]  E. L. Robinson,et al.  An Occultation by Saturn's Rings on 1991 October 2-3 October 2-3 Observed with the Hubble Space Telescope , 1993 .

[70]  Richard W. Zurek,et al.  Diurnal tide in the Martian atmosphere , 1976 .

[71]  D. Staelin,et al.  Voyager 2 Radio Observations of Uranus , 1986, Science.

[72]  G. E. Wood,et al.  Radio Science with Voyager 2 at Saturn: Atmosphere and Ionosphere and the Masses of Mimas, Tethys, and Iapetus , 1982, Science.

[73]  Peter J. Gierasch,et al.  Analysis of stellar occultation data - Effects of photon noise and initial conditions. [planetary atmosphere temperature, pressure and density profiles from occultation light curve] , 1978 .

[74]  W. Hubbard,et al.  Theory of anisotropic refractive scintillation - Application to stellar occultations by Neptune , 1988 .

[75]  Ingemar Holmström,et al.  On the vertical structure of the atmosphere , 1964 .

[76]  James L. Elliot,et al.  Pluto's atmosphere , 1989 .

[77]  Alistair R. Walker.  An occultation by Charon , 1980 .

[78]  A. Seiff,et al.  Structure of Mars' Atmosphere up to 100 Kilometers from the Entry Measurements of Viking 2 , 1976, Science.

[79]  W. Hubbard,et al.  Structure of Scintillations in Neptune's Occultation Shadow , 1988 .

[80]  W. Hubbard,et al.  Occultation determination of Neptune's oblateness and stratospheric methane mixing ratio , 1986, Nature.

[81]  Olga Perkovic,et al.  Geometry of the Saturn System from the 3 July 1989 Occultation of 28 Sgr and Voyager Observations , 1993 .

[82]  James L. Elliot,et al.  Pluto's Radius and Atmosphere: Results from the Entire 9 June 1988 Occultation Data Set , 1993 .

[83]  D. Hunten,et al.  Results for Titan's atmosphere from its occultation of 28 Sagittarii , 1990, Nature.

[84]  R. Baron,et al.  The 1983 June 15 occultation by Neptune. II - The oblateness of Neptune , 1985 .

[85]  D. Gautier,et al.  The helium abundance of Saturn from Voyager measurements , 1984 .