NASA NTRS1986
Infrared data was obtained on planetary atmospheres which provides critical information on atmospheric structure, composition, and cloud properties in support of planetary missions such as Voyager and Galileo. Mapping of Jupiter and Saturn in thermal and reflected solar radiation is a high-priority monitoring and exploratory activity. Some of these images of Jupiter are shown. Radiation at 17.8 micrometer probes the upper tropospheric temperature structure where spatial structure bears a strong resemblance to visible and near-infrared reflected sunlight such as at 2.0 micrometer. At 7.8 micrometer, stratospheric temperatures appear to have a three-banded structure, enhancements near the magnetic poles and occasional transient features such as the equatorial filament near the right limb. Clouds or hazes are observed high in the stratosphere looking at wavelengths such as 2.2 micrometer, where gaseous opacity is very strong. Other maps examine cloud properties from thermal radiation not strongly influenced by gaseous opacity and the distribution of condensable gases, such as ammonia. Millimeter and submillimeter filtered radiometric observations were made of Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune via collaborative work. Radiometric observations of Uranus and Neptune at 21 and 32 micrometer were acquired and analyzed as well as grating array spectra in the ranges of 8 to 14 micrometer, 16 to 23 micrometer, and 18 to 32 micrometer. These showed evidence for C2H2 in the stratosphere of Uranus and C2H4 in the stratosphere of Neptune.