# Abstract/Details

## Energy balance and solar heating in Neptune's upper atmosphere

1993 1993

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### Abstract (summary)

We have constructed the thermal structure of Neptune's stratosphere and low thermosphere with pressures between 10$\sp{-3} \mu$bar and 100 mbar using a radiative-conductive model which includes solar UV and EUV heating, non-LTE cooling by hydrocarbon fundamental bands, cooling by H$\sb2$ collisional induced opacities, and heating by the CH$\sb4$ near and far infrared bands. We have thoroughly investigated the availabilities of different techniques in modeling the CH$\sb4$ near-IR bands (3.3, 2.3, and 1.7 $\mu$m) and calculating the heating rates of these bands for pressures between 10$\sp{-3} \mu$bar and 100 mbar and temperatures between 50 K to 300 K. We have established an accurate and efficient way which is a combined method of correlated-k model and the Baines et al. (1993) empirical model to calculate these heating rates. The same method can also be applied to any other atmosphere of a Jovian planet. Through comparing the calculated temperature profiles and the measured one of Neptune's upper atmosphere, we have set constraints on the magnitudes, locations and the regions those are extended by for the stratospheric aerosol heating, heating by the source located in the mesosphere and heating by the conducted flux from the thermosphere. We also found that by using a constant CH$\sb4$ mixing ratio in the stratosphere of Neptune, 1.3 $\times$ 10$\sp{-3}$, obtained by Yelle et al. (1993) through analyzing Voyager solar occultation data, the measured stratospheric temperatures between 20 to 100 mbar can be best matched by the calculational results.

### Indexing (details)

Subject
Atmosphere;
Astronomy;
Astrophysics
Classification
0608: Atmosphere
0606: Astronomy
0606: Astrophysics
Identifier / keyword
Pure sciences; atmospheric; thermosphere
Title
Energy balance and solar heating in Neptune's upper atmosphere
Author
Wang, Yiping
Number of pages
117
Publication year
1993
Degree date
1993
School code
0009
Source
DAI-B 54/11, Dissertation Abstracts International
Place of publication
Ann Arbor
Country of publication
United States
Yelle, Roger V.
University/institution
The University of Arizona
University location
United States -- Arizona
Degree
Ph.D.
Source type
Dissertations & Theses
Language
English
Document type
Dissertation/Thesis
Dissertation/thesis number
9410663
ProQuest document ID
304032484