Multicomponent diffusion and energy characteristics of partially ionized plasma in the ionosphere of a planet

The problem of energy and multicomponent ambipolar diffusion of plasma in the lower ionosphere of a planet with a weak magnetic field is considered

Model atmosphere of planet Venus according to the results of measurements on the Soviet automatic interplanetary station Venera-4

Model atmosphere of Venus based on measurements made by Venera-

The structure and microphysical properties of the clouds of Venus

Results are presented from the processing and interpretation of measurement data in the descent capsules of the automatic stations Venera-9 and Venera-10 for the characteristics of light scattering in the atmosphere of Venus by means of onboard nephelometers. A model for the aerosol component in the planet's atmosphere in the altitude range 62-14 km is proposed

The planets of the Solar System

This book is intended both for the lay person and the would-be scientist. The planets are discussed with a comparision of their basic natural features: mechanical characteristics and parameters of movement, surfaces, inner structure, physical properties of the atmosphere and meteorology. Also general problems of planetary cosmogony, thermal history and climatic evolution are considered briefly. The book is based on Soviet and foreign material, data from spacecraft, Earth optical and radio astronomical measurements and also data obtained from theoretical models

Migration processes in the Solar System and their role in the evolution of the Earth and planets

We discuss problems of planetesimal migration in the emerging Solar System and exoplanetary systems. Protoplanetary disk evolution models and the formation of planets are considered. The formation of the Moon and of the asteroid and trans-Neptunian belts is studied. We show that Earth and Venus could acquire more than half of their mass in 5 million years, and their outer layers could accumulate the same material from different parts of the feeding zone of these planets. The migration of small bodies toward the terrestrial planets from various regions of the Solar System is simulated numerically. Based on these computations, we conclude that the mass of water delivered to the Earth by planetesimals, comets, and carbonaceous chondrite asteroids from beyond the ice line could be comparable to the mass of Earth's oceans. The processes of dust migration in the Solar System and sources of the zodiacal cloud are considered.Comment: 30 pages, 9 figure

Temperature, pressure and density of Venus' atmosphere according to measurement data of the AIS Venera-4

Atmospheric temperature, pressure, and density of Venus according to measurements obtained by AIS Venera-

Venera-11 and Venera 12: Preliminary estimates for the wind speed and turbulence in the atmosphere of Venus

The methods and results of measurements for wind speed and atmospheric turbulence in the clouds of Venus are described, and compared with earlier results. The distribution of wind speed obtained from the data of Venera 12 is in good conformity with the data of the preceding Venera and Pioneer probes, indicating the existence of a constant and powerful zonal movement of the troposphere

Reconstruction of the H2O profile from the results of modeling the heat flux in the lower atmosphere of Venus

The H2O profile in the Venus lower atmosphere is reconstructed by the effective radiation flux data. It is shown that the H2O vapor abundance is concentrated mainly in the 20 to 48 km layer and depends on measurement time and location. The magnitudes of H2O optically determined are much less than those obtained by probing, especially below 20 km

Phenomenology of the Lense-Thirring effect in the Solar System

Recent years have seen increasing efforts to directly measure some aspects of the general relativistic gravitomagnetic interaction in several astronomical scenarios in the solar system. After briefly overviewing the concept of gravitomagnetism from a theoretical point of view, we review the performed or proposed attempts to detect the Lense-Thirring effect affecting the orbital motions of natural and artificial bodies in the gravitational fields of the Sun, Earth, Mars and Jupiter. In particular, we will focus on the evaluation of the impact of several sources of systematic uncertainties of dynamical origin to realistically elucidate the present and future perspectives in directly measuring such an elusive relativistic effect.Comment: LaTex, 51 pages, 14 figures, 22 tables. Invited review, to appear in Astrophysics and Space Science (ApSS). Some uncited references in the text now correctly quoted. One reference added. A footnote adde