Detection of H3+ from Uranus

L. M. Trafton; T. R. Geballe; S. Miller; J. Tennyson; G. E. Ballester

doi:10.1086/172404

Detection of H₃⁺ from Uranus

L. M. Trafton, T. R. Geballe, S. Miller, J. Tennyson, G. E. Ballester

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

115 Scopus citations

Abstract

The detection of H₃⁺ in Uranus is reported. Using the CGS4 spectrometer on the UKIRT telescope, we clearly detected 11 emission features of the H₃⁺ fundamental vibration-rotation band between 3.89 and 4.09 μm. These features are composed primarily of lines from the Q-branch; the strongest of them is the Q(3) blend at 3.985 μm. Analysis of these features indicates a rotational temperature of 740 ± 25 K, an ortho-H₃⁺ fraction of 0.51 ± 0.03, and a disk-averaged H₃⁺ column abundance of 6.5 × 10¹⁰ (±10%) molecules cm^-2. Comparison is made with Jupiter (the only other planet for which H₃⁺ has been detected), Saturn, and Neptune. A detection of the H₂ 1-0 S(1) line in Uranus and an upper limit to H₃⁺ emission from Neptune also are reported. The rate of energy deposition into Uranus appears to be significantly higher than the rate reported during the Voyager 2 flyby in January of 1986.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	761-766
Number of pages	6
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	405
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/172404
State	Published - Mar 10 1993
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Infrared: solar system
Planets and satellites: individual (Uranus)

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Access to Document

10.1086/172404

Cite this

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title = "Detection of H3+ from Uranus",

abstract = "The detection of H3+ in Uranus is reported. Using the CGS4 spectrometer on the UKIRT telescope, we clearly detected 11 emission features of the H3+ fundamental vibration-rotation band between 3.89 and 4.09 μm. These features are composed primarily of lines from the Q-branch; the strongest of them is the Q(3) blend at 3.985 μm. Analysis of these features indicates a rotational temperature of 740 ± 25 K, an ortho-H3+ fraction of 0.51 ± 0.03, and a disk-averaged H3+ column abundance of 6.5 × 1010 (±10%) molecules cm-2. Comparison is made with Jupiter (the only other planet for which H3+ has been detected), Saturn, and Neptune. A detection of the H2 1-0 S(1) line in Uranus and an upper limit to H3+ emission from Neptune also are reported. The rate of energy deposition into Uranus appears to be significantly higher than the rate reported during the Voyager 2 flyby in January of 1986.",

keywords = "Infrared: solar system, Planets and satellites: individual (Uranus)",

author = "Trafton, {L. M.} and Geballe, {T. R.} and S. Miller and J. Tennyson and Ballester, {G. E.}",

year = "1993",

month = mar,

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doi = "10.1086/172404",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "405",

pages = "761--766",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Detection of H3+ from Uranus

AU - Trafton, L. M.

AU - Geballe, T. R.

AU - Miller, S.

AU - Tennyson, J.

AU - Ballester, G. E.

PY - 1993/3/10

Y1 - 1993/3/10

N2 - The detection of H3+ in Uranus is reported. Using the CGS4 spectrometer on the UKIRT telescope, we clearly detected 11 emission features of the H3+ fundamental vibration-rotation band between 3.89 and 4.09 μm. These features are composed primarily of lines from the Q-branch; the strongest of them is the Q(3) blend at 3.985 μm. Analysis of these features indicates a rotational temperature of 740 ± 25 K, an ortho-H3+ fraction of 0.51 ± 0.03, and a disk-averaged H3+ column abundance of 6.5 × 1010 (±10%) molecules cm-2. Comparison is made with Jupiter (the only other planet for which H3+ has been detected), Saturn, and Neptune. A detection of the H2 1-0 S(1) line in Uranus and an upper limit to H3+ emission from Neptune also are reported. The rate of energy deposition into Uranus appears to be significantly higher than the rate reported during the Voyager 2 flyby in January of 1986.

AB - The detection of H3+ in Uranus is reported. Using the CGS4 spectrometer on the UKIRT telescope, we clearly detected 11 emission features of the H3+ fundamental vibration-rotation band between 3.89 and 4.09 μm. These features are composed primarily of lines from the Q-branch; the strongest of them is the Q(3) blend at 3.985 μm. Analysis of these features indicates a rotational temperature of 740 ± 25 K, an ortho-H3+ fraction of 0.51 ± 0.03, and a disk-averaged H3+ column abundance of 6.5 × 1010 (±10%) molecules cm-2. Comparison is made with Jupiter (the only other planet for which H3+ has been detected), Saturn, and Neptune. A detection of the H2 1-0 S(1) line in Uranus and an upper limit to H3+ emission from Neptune also are reported. The rate of energy deposition into Uranus appears to be significantly higher than the rate reported during the Voyager 2 flyby in January of 1986.

KW - Infrared: solar system

KW - Planets and satellites: individual (Uranus)

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