Related papers: Saturn Variable Thermosphere
Escape of an early atmosphere from Titan, during which time NH3 could be converted by photolysis into the present N2 dominated atmosphere, is an important problem in planetary science. Recently Gilliam and Lerman (2014) estimated escape…
We calculate the effective temperature ($T_{\rm eff}$) of ionizing star(s), oxygen abundance of the gas phase $(\rm O/H)$, and the ionization parameter $U$ for a sample of H\,{\sc ii} regions located in the disks of 59 spiral galaxies in…
We observed a stellar occultation by Titan on 2003 November 14 from La Palma Observatory using ULTRACAM with three Sloan filters: u', g', and i' (358, 487, and 758 nm, respectively). The occultation probed latitudes 2 degrees S and 1…
Over the last decade, precise exoplanet transmission spectroscopy has revealed the atmospheres of dozens of exoplanets, driven largely by observatories like the Hubble Space Telescope. One major discovery has been the ubiquity of…
Stellar spectra with a high resolution of 115000 obtained with the HARPS spectrograph provide an opportunity to examine turbulence velocities and their depth distributions in the photosphere of stars. Fourier analysis was performed for 17…
We study the seasonal evolution of Titan's lower stratosphere (around 15~mbar) in order to better understand the atmospheric dynamics and chemistry in this part of the atmosphere. We analysed Cassini/CIRS far-IR observations from 2006 to…
Temperature inversion layers are predicted to be present in ultra-hot giant planet atmospheres. Although such inversion layers have recently been observed in several ultra-hot Jupiters, the chemical species responsible for creating the…
We constructed a 6-degrees of freedom rotational model of Titan as a 3-layer body consisting of a rigid core, a fluid global ocean, and a floating ice shell. The ice shell exhibits partially-compensated lateral thickness variations in order…
We report the discovery of K2-287b, a Saturn mass planet orbiting a G-dwarf with a period of $P \approx 15$ days. First uncovered as a candidate using K2 campaign 15 data, follow-up photometry and spectroscopy were used to determine a mass…
We report 8- to 13-micron spectral observations of Neptune and Uranus from the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility spanning more than a decade. The spectroscopic data indicate a steady increase in Neptune's mean atmospheric 12-micron ethane…
Neutron star models with maximum mass close to $2 \ M_{\odot}$ reach high central densities, which may activate nucleonic and hyperon direct Urca neutrino emission. To alleviate the tension between fast theoretical cooling rates and thermal…
Analysis of the Cassini Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (UVIS) stellar and solar occultations at Titan to date include 12 species: N$_{2}$ (nitrogen), CH$_{4}$ (methane), C$_{2}$H$_{2}$ (acetylene), C$_{2}$H$_{4}$ (ethylene),…
Planets orbiting close to hot stars experience intense extreme-ultraviolet radiation, potentially leading to atmosphere evaporation and to thermal dissociation of molecules. However, this extreme regime remains mainly unexplored due to…
The Venusian atmosphere is in a state of superrotation where prevailing westward winds move much faster than the planet's rotation. Venus is covered with thick clouds that extend from about 45 to 70 km altitude, but thermal radiation…
We present a series of systematic abundance measurements for 89 hot DA white dwarfs drawn from the FUSE observation archive. These stars span the temperature range ~ 20000-70000K, and form the largest sample to-date, exceeding our earlier…
The immiscibility of hydrogen-helium mixture under the temperature and pressure conditions of planetary interiors is crucial for understanding the structures of gas giant planets (e.g., Jupiter and Saturn). While the experimental probe at…
Aims. We analyse unpublished Spitzer observations of the thermal phase-curve of WASP-121 b, a benchmark ultra-hot Jupiter. Methods. We adopted the wavelet pixel-independent component analysis technique to remove challenging instrumental…
In December 2010, a major storm erupted in Saturn's northern hemisphere near 37 degree planetographic latitude. This rather surprising event, occurring at an unexpected latitude and time, is the sixth "Great White Spot" (GWS) storm observed…
A clustering algorithm is applied to Cassini Imaging Science Subsystem continuum and methane band images of Saturns northern hemisphere to objectively classify regional albedo features and aid in their dynamical interpretation. The…
We study the thermal equilibrium and stability of isobaric, spherical structures having a radiation source located at its center. The thermal conduction coefficient, external heating and cooling rates are represented as power laws of the…