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Detailed Reference Information |
Yelle, R.V., Sandel, B.R., Shemansky, D.E. and Kumar, S. (1986). Altitude variation of EUV emissions and evidence for proton precipitation at low latitudes in the saturnian atmosphere. Journal of Geophysical Research 91: doi: 10.1029/JA091iA08p08756. issn: 0148-0227. |
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Extreme ultraviolet observations of Saturn from Voyager 1 and 2 are analyzed. The Lyman alpha and H2 band emissions extend throughout the upper atmosphere, from the hydrocarbon homopause to well above the exobase. Analysis of the Lyman alpha emissions with a radiative transfer model indicates that the Lyman alpha source temperature is very high. This suggests that energetic protons of hydrogen atoms are responsible for a fraction of the emissions. Calculation of the solar-scattered component of the emissions based on the neutral atmosphere of Smith et al. (1983) reveals that only 1--2 kR out of a total of 3.5 kR of the observed Lyman alpha intensity is due to solar scatter for the Voyager 2 disc observations; the remainder of the Lyman alpha emissions are collisionally excited. The Lyman alpha and H2 bands are constant in longitude but decreases in local time by a factor of 2 from dawn to dusk. This correlation of the Lyman alpha and H2 band intensities is further evidence that most of the Lyman alpha is collisionally excited. |
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Abstract![](/images/icons/spacer.gif) |
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Publisher
American Geophysical Union 2000 Florida Avenue N.W. Washington, D.C. 20009-1277 USA 1-202-462-6900 1-202-328-0566 service@agu.org |
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