The collision of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 with Jupiter: Detection and evolution of HCN in the stratosphere of the planet

Marten, A., Gautier, D., Griffin, Matthew ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0033-177X, Matthews, H. E., Naylor, D. A., Davis, G. R., Owen, T., Orton, G., Bockelée-Morvan, D., Colom, P., Crovisier, J., Lellouch, E., de Pater, I., Atreya, S., Strobel, D., Han, B. and Sanders, D. B. 1995. The collision of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 with Jupiter: Detection and evolution of HCN in the stratosphere of the planet. Geophysical Research Letters 22 (12) , pp. 1589-1592. 10.1029/95GL00949

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Abstract

We report submillimeter heterodyne observations of Jupiter taken with the JCMT during and after the infall of Comet Shoemaker‐Levy 9 into the planet. We detected the J = 4 ‐ 3 and J = 3 ‐ 2 rotational transitions of HCN in emission at many of the impact sites. Measurements suggest for fragment G a mixing ratio of ∼ 5 × 10−8 above the 0.5‐mbar pressure level and a total HCN mass of 6 × 1011g. Subsequent observations, made in September and November 1994, reveal that HCN is still present but that the lines now appear in absorption. This results from a cooling of the stratospheric thermal profile between July and September. Chemical implications of the observed persistence of HCN in the Jovian stratosphere for over 6 months are discussed.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Physics and Astronomy
Subjects:	Q Science > QB Astronomy Q Science > QC Physics
Additional Information:	Pdf uploaded in accordance with publisher's policy at http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/issn/0094-8276/ (accessed 20/02/2014).
Publisher:	American Geophysical Union
ISSN:	0094-8276
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	30 March 2016
Last Modified:	09 May 2023 03:15
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/7395

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