On Determining the Vertical Structure of the Aerosol Component in the Atmosphere of Saturn

Аннотация

Relying upon the values of the geometric albedo of Saturn obtained in the methane absorption bands at λ = 887, 864, 842, 727, and 619 nm in 1993, how the aerosol and gaseous scattering components of the effective optical depth change with depth in the atmosphere of the planet are analyzed. The model of homogeneous spherical aerosol particles is used. For the altitude levels in the pressure range from 0.18 to 1.5 bar, that the parameters of aerosol particles used in the analysis are close to their actual values is confirmed. Above the level of 0.054 bar, the presence of stratospheric aerosol was detected. At least seven peculiarities were found in the vertical structure of the cloud cover of the upper atmosphere of Saturn. The altitude position of the maximum relative concentration of aerosol was estimated at approximately a level of 0.3 or 0.12 bar given the relative concentration of methane as 0.0021 or 0.0533, respectively. In the atmospheric layers of Saturn, where the pressure is larger than 0.44 bar, the cloud extended in altitude and containing no distinguishable aerosol layers was found. In the layers deeper than 1.5 bar, indications of probable changes in the parameters of aerosol particles were detected.