National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Publication Abstracts

Carlson et al. 1987

Carlson, B.E., M.J. Prather, and W.B. Rossow, 1987: The role of aqueous chemistry in determining the composition and cloud structure of the upper troposphere on Uranus. Astrophys. J., 321, L97-L101, doi:10.1086/185013.

Aqueous chemistry on Uranus affects the atmospheric abundances of NH₃ and H₂S below the methane cloud base. We present a complete thermochemical equilibrium model for the H₂O-NH₃-H₂S system. Inclusion of H₂S increases the aqueous removal of NH₃ to 20-30 percent, but aqueous chemistry alone cannot account for the depletion of NH₃ in the 150-200 K region of the atmosphere required to fit microwave observations. Formation of NH₄SH clouds can account for the observed depletion provided the H₂S/NH₃ ratio is enhanced by a factor of 4 relative to solar. Perturbations to the chemical balance between N and S, for example by the general circulation on Uranus, would then produce regions with either NH₃ or H₂S aloft.

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@article{ca01700z,
  author={Carlson, B. E. and Prather, M. J. and Rossow, W. B.},
  title={The role of aqueous chemistry in determining the composition and cloud structure of the upper troposphere on Uranus},
  year={1987},
  journal={Astrophysical Journal},
  volume={321},
  pages={L97--L101},
  doi={10.1086/185013},
}

TY  - JOUR
ID  - ca01700z
AU  - Carlson, B. E.
AU  - Prather, M. J.
AU  - Rossow, W. B.
PY  - 1987
TI  - The role of aqueous chemistry in determining the composition and cloud structure of the upper troposphere on Uranus
JA  - Astrophys. J.
JO  - Astrophysical Journal
VL  - 321
SP  - L97
EP  - L101
DO  - 10.1086/185013
ER  -

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