Upper limits on hydrogen halides in Jupiter from Cassini/CIRS observations

Nixon, Conor A.; Irwin, Patrick G. J.; Fouchet, Thierry; Calcutt, Simon B.; Orton, Glenn

France, United States, United Kingdom

Abstract

We have determined the following upper limits for the mole fraction of hydrogen halides in Jupiter's atmosphere from Cassini/CIRS observations: [HF] <2.7×10 -11, [HCl] <2.3×10 -9, [HBr] <1.0×10 -9, [HI] <7.6×10 -9. These limits are smaller than solar composition for HF and HCl, and support the halogens' condensation in ammonium salts predicted by thermochemical models for the upper jovian troposphere.

2004 Icarus
Cassini 11