Sulfur chemistry in the middle atmosphere of Venus

Xi Zhang; Mao Chang Liang; Franklin P. Mills; Denis A. Belyaev; Yuk L. Yung

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2011.06.016

Sulfur chemistry in the middle atmosphere of Venus

Xi Zhang^*, Mao Chang Liang, Franklin P. Mills, Denis A. Belyaev, Yuk L. Yung

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

143 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Venus Express measurements of the vertical profiles of SO and SO₂ in the middle atmosphere of Venus provide an opportunity to revisit the sulfur chemistry above the middle cloud tops (~58km). A one dimensional photochemistry-diffusion model is used to simulate the behavior of the whole chemical system including oxygen-, hydrogen-, chlorine-, sulfur-, and nitrogen-bearing species. A sulfur source is required to explain the SO₂ inversion layer above 80km. The evaporation of the aerosols composed of sulfuric acid (model A) or polysulfur (model B) above 90km could provide the sulfur source. Measurements of SO₃ and SO (a¹Δ→X³Σ^-) emission at 1.7μm may be the key to distinguish between the two models.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	714-739
Number of pages	26
Journal	Icarus
Volume	217
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2011.06.016
Publication status	Published - Feb 2012

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10.1016/j.icarus.2011.06.016

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title = "Sulfur chemistry in the middle atmosphere of Venus",

abstract = "Venus Express measurements of the vertical profiles of SO and SO2 in the middle atmosphere of Venus provide an opportunity to revisit the sulfur chemistry above the middle cloud tops (~58km). A one dimensional photochemistry-diffusion model is used to simulate the behavior of the whole chemical system including oxygen-, hydrogen-, chlorine-, sulfur-, and nitrogen-bearing species. A sulfur source is required to explain the SO2 inversion layer above 80km. The evaporation of the aerosols composed of sulfuric acid (model A) or polysulfur (model B) above 90km could provide the sulfur source. Measurements of SO3 and SO (a1Δ→X3Σ-) emission at 1.7μm may be the key to distinguish between the two models.",

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author = "Xi Zhang and Liang, {Mao Chang} and Mills, {Franklin P.} and Belyaev, {Denis A.} and Yung, {Yuk L.}",

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AU - Zhang, Xi

AU - Liang, Mao Chang

AU - Mills, Franklin P.

AU - Belyaev, Denis A.

AU - Yung, Yuk L.

PY - 2012/2

Y1 - 2012/2

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AB - Venus Express measurements of the vertical profiles of SO and SO2 in the middle atmosphere of Venus provide an opportunity to revisit the sulfur chemistry above the middle cloud tops (~58km). A one dimensional photochemistry-diffusion model is used to simulate the behavior of the whole chemical system including oxygen-, hydrogen-, chlorine-, sulfur-, and nitrogen-bearing species. A sulfur source is required to explain the SO2 inversion layer above 80km. The evaporation of the aerosols composed of sulfuric acid (model A) or polysulfur (model B) above 90km could provide the sulfur source. Measurements of SO3 and SO (a1Δ→X3Σ-) emission at 1.7μm may be the key to distinguish between the two models.

KW - Atmospheres, chemistry

KW - Atmospheres, composition

KW - Photochemistry

KW - Venus, atmosphere

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JO - Icarus

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Sulfur chemistry in the middle atmosphere of Venus

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