Spectrophotometric experiment on the Verera-11 and Venera-12 descent vehicles: Some results of the analysis of the spectrum of the daytime sky of Venus

The spectra of the daytime sky of Venus were recorded on the Venera-11 and Venera-12 descent vehicles at various altitudes above the planet's surface, within the interval of 4500 to 12,000 Angstroms. The angular distribution of the brightness of the scattered radiation was recorded and the ratio of water and carbon dioxide were studied, with respect to the cloud cover boundaries

Results and interpretation of measurements of the light flux in the near-surface layer of the Venusian atmosphere

The characteristics of the field of radiation in the near surface layer of the atmosphere and on the surface of Venus are reported. Optical measurements made during the landing of the descent vehicles are described. The relief of the surface and the amount of dust on it are examined. The spectral relationship of the albedo of the soil and the light flux incident on the surface is discussed

The Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS) onboard the European Mars Express mission

International audience; The Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS) for the Mars Express mission is an infrared spectrometer optimised for atmospheric studies. This instrument has a short wave (SW) channel that covers the spectral range from 1700 to 8200.0cm-1 (1.2- 5.5mum) and a long-wave (LW) channel that covers 250- 1700cm-1 (5.5- 45mum). Both channels have a uniform spectral resolution of 1.3cm-1. The instrument field of view FOV is about 1.6o (FWHM) for the Short Wavelength channel (SW) and 2.8o (FWHM) for the Long Wavelength channel (LW) which corresponds to a spatial resolution of 7 and 12 km when Mars is observed from an height of 250 km. PFS can provide unique data necessary to improve our knowledge not only of the atmosphere properties but also about mineralogical composition of the surface and the surface-atmosphere interaction. The SW channel uses a PbSe detector cooled to 200-220 K while the LW channel is based on a pyroelectric ( LiTaO3) detector working at room temperature. The intensity of the interferogram is measured every 150 nm of physical mirrors displacement, corresponding to 600 nm optical path difference, by using a laser diode monochromatic light interferogram (a sine wave), whose zero crossings control the double pendulum motion. PFS works primarily around the pericentre of the orbit, only occasionally observing Mars from large distances. Each measurements take 4 s, with a repetition time of 8.5 s. By working roughly 0.6 h around pericentre, a total of 330 measurements per orbit will be acquired 270 looking at Mars and 60 for calibrations. PFS is able to take measurements at all local times, facilitating the retrieval of surface temperatures and atmospheric vertical temperature profiles on both the day and the night side

VEGA 1 and VEGA 2 entry probes: An investigation of local UV absorption (220-400 nm) in the atmosphere of Venus (SO 2 aerosols, cloud structure)

International audienceIn 1985 the VEGA 1 and VEGA 2 spacecraft dropped two descent probes into the nightside of Venus. On board was the French-Russian ISAV ultraviolet spectroscopy experiment, consisting of a UV light source absorbed by atmospheric constituents circulating freely into a tube attached outside the pressurized modules. ISAV generated a wealth of absorption spectra in the 220- to 400-nm range with an unprecedented vertical resolution (60-170 m) from 62 km of altitude down to the ground. On the basis of known instrument properties and a careful examination of the light curves recorded in 13 wavelength intervals in the UV, we show that most of the recorded differential absorption (at each wavelength with respect to 394 nm) can be explained by a combination of gaseous SO2 absorption and absorption by aerosols deposited on the mirrors during the crossing of Venus' lower cloud. The spectral signature of this absorber, termed X, was obtained, thanks to an unexpected shock on VEGA 1 which removed this absorber from the mirrors at 18 km of altitude. The UV spectral signature of X resembles that of croconic acid, C5O5H2, whose absorbing power as a contaminant of H2SO4 droplets at 2.5% dilution is compatible with the observations. However, the nonidentity of the spectral signature, together with stability arguments, makes this identification less plausible. Whatever its nature, the relevance of this new absorber X is discussed in connection with the albedo of Venus and the IR variable leak windows. If this absorber X detected by ISAV in the lower cloud were also present in the upper cloud, it would be a good candidate to explain the UV part (λ<400 nm) of the Venus albedo. Three layers of absorbing material, called b, c, and d, are identified in the data of both ISAV 1 and 2 in the altitude range 49-43 km. The higher layer b is inside the lower cloud identified by the nephelometer of Pioneer Venus, while the two other layers are well below the lower cloud boundary as measured by Pioneer Venus. The SO2 profile (from 60 km down to 10 km) is characterized for ISAV 1 by a double peak of the mixing ratio (150 ppmv at 51.5 km, 125 ppmv at 42.5 km) separated by a deep trough at 30 ppmv at 45.6 km. For ISAV 2 there is a single peak at 43 km. Both SO2 profiles are quite compatible with recent ground-based measurements, showing 130+/-40 ppmv in the altitude range of 35-45 km [Bézard et al., 1993]. Below the clouds the measured SO2 mixing ratio decreases steadily on both probes, down to 25+/-2 ppmv at 10 km for ISAV 1, which is lower than previously reported values from gas chromatograph measurements (shown to be incompatible with ISAV measurements). The variation of SO2 mixing ratio with altitude implies a strong vertical transport which is given as a function of altitude, showing the source and sink regions of SO2 from 10 to 60 km of altitude. These data should impose severe constraints on future chemical models of the atmosphere of Venus, occurring after volcanic episodes or impact cratering events. The total SO2 column density (0-60 km) was measured to be 4×1022 molecules cm-2 or 4.2 gcm-2, a factor of 5 below previous estimates. With an average reaction rate of 4.6×1010 molecules cm-2s-1 with calcite, CaCO3, estimated by Fegley and Prinn [1989], it would take only 27,000 years to get rid of SO2 and associated H2SO4 droplets if calcite were present all over the surface of Venus. Therefore SO2 and its associated ubiquitous cloud cover may only be transient phenomena in the life of Venus

Temperature Dependence of the Resonant Magnetoelectric Effect in Layered Heterostructures

The dependence of the resonant direct magnetoelectric effect on temperature is studied experimentally in planar composite structures. Samples of rectangular shapes with dimensions of 5 mm × 20 mm employed ferromagnetic layers of either an amorphous (metallic glass) alloy or nickel with a thickness of 20–200 μm and piezoelectric layers of single crystalline langatate material or lead zirconate titanate piezoelectric ceramics with a thickness of 500 μm. The temperature of the samples was varied in a range between 120 and 390 K by blowing a gaseous nitrogen stream around them. It is shown that the effective characteristics of the magnetoelectric effect—such as the mechanical resonance frequency fr, the quality factor Q and the magnitude of the magnetoelectric coefficient αE at the resonance frequency—are contingent on temperature. The interrelations between the temperature changes of the characteristics of the magnetoelectric effect and the temperature variations of the following material parameters—Young’s modulus Y, the acoustic quality factor of individual layers, the dielectric constant ε, the piezoelectric modulus d of the piezoelectric layer as well as the piezomagnetic coefficients λ(n) of the ferromagnetic layer—are established. The effect of temperature on the characteristics of the nonlinear magnetoelectric effect is observed for the first time. The results can be useful for designing magnetoelectric heterostructures with specified temperature characteristics, in particular, for the development of thermally stabilized magnetoelectric devices