Stringent upper limits of minor species at the cloud top of Venus: PH<sub>3</sub>, HCN, and NH<sub>3</sub>

Aims. Following several reports announcing the detection or non-detection of minor species above the clouds of Venus, we have searched for other possible signatures of PH 3 , HCN, and NH 3 in the infrared range. Methods. Since 2012, we have performed ground-based observations of Venus in the thermal infrared at various wavelengths to monitor the behavior of SO 2 and H 2 O at the cloud top. We have identified spectral intervals where transitions of PH 3 (around 955 cm −1 ), HCN (around 747 cm −1 ), and NH 3 (around 951cm −1 ) are present. Results. From the absence of any feature at these frequencies, we derive, on the disk-integrated spectrum, a 3- σ upper limit of 3 ppbv for the PH 3 mixing ratio, 0.5 ppbv for HCN, and 0.3 ppbv for NH 3 , assuming that these species have a constant mixing ratio throughout the atmosphere. Maps of the Venus disk recorded at the center position of the lines show that there is no evidence for local detection anywhere over the Venus disk. Conclusions. Our results bring new constraints on the maximum abundance of these species at the cloud top and in the lower mesosphere of Venus.

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Publication Details

Journal
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Published
2024-09-23
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202451495
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Astro and Planetary Science
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.33

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article

Stringent upper limits of minor species at the cloud top of Venus: PH3, HCN, and NH3

R. Giles, H. Sagawa, T. Widemann, T. Greathouse et al.
1 citations
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astro and Planetary Science
0.33
article

Stringent upper limits of minor species at the cloud top of Venus: PH3, HCN, and NH3

R. Giles, H. Sagawa, T. Widemann, T. Greathouse, W. Shao, Anicia Arredondo, Emmanuel Marcq, Thérèse Encrenaz, Maxence Lefèvre, F. Lefèvre, Bruno Bézard
article en
1 citations

Abstract

Aims. Following several reports announcing the detection or non-detection of minor species above the clouds of Venus, we have searched for other possible signatures of PH 3 , HCN, and NH 3 in the infrared range. Methods. Since 2012, we have performed ground-based observations of Venus in the thermal infrared at various wavelengths to monitor the behavior of SO 2 and H 2 O at the cloud top. We have identified spectral intervals where transitions of PH 3 (around 955 cm −1 ), HCN (around 747 cm −1 ), and NH 3 (around 951cm −1 ) are present. Results. From the absence of any feature at these frequencies, we derive, on the disk-integrated spectrum, a 3- σ upper limit of 3 ppbv for the PH 3 mixing ratio, 0.5 ppbv for HCN, and 0.3 ppbv for NH 3 , assuming that these species have a constant mixing ratio throughout the atmosphere. Maps of the Venus disk recorded at the center position of the lines show that there is no evidence for local detection anywhere over the Venus disk. Conclusions. Our results bring new constraints on the maximum abundance of these species at the cloud top and in the lower mesosphere of Venus.

Astronomy and AstrophysicsVol. 690
Southwest Research Institute (US), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), Kyoto Sangyo University (JP), Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (FR), Université Paris Cité (FR), Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (FR), Université Paris-Saclay (FR), Observatoire de Paris (FR), Sorbonne Université (FR), Institut Pierre-Simon Laplace (FR), Laboratoire d’études spatiales et d’instrumentation en astrophysique (FR), Laboratoire atmosphères, milieux, observations spatiales (FR), Technical University of Denmark (DK)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, European Commission, Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Science Mission Directorate, HORIZON EUROPE Framework Programme
Openalex Percentile: Top 34%
Astro and Planetary Science
0.33
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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