Search Publications
The Atmospheric Dynamics of Venus
Sánchez-Lavega, Agustín; Imamura, Takeshi; Lebonnois, Sebastien +2 more
We review our current knowledge of the atmospheric dynamics of Venus prior to the Akatsuki mission, in the altitude range from the surface to approximately the cloud tops located at about 100 km altitude. The three-dimensional structure of the wind field in this region has been determined with a variety of techniques over a broad range of spatial …
Solar Wind Interaction and Impact on the Venus Atmosphere
Barabash, Stas; Stenberg Wieser, Gabriella; Futaana, Yoshifumi +1 more
Venus has intrigued planetary scientists for decades because of its huge contrasts to Earth, in spite of its nickname of "Earth's Twin". Its invisible upper atmosphere and space environment are also part of the larger story of Venus and its evolution. In 60s to 70s, several missions (Venera and Mariner series) explored Venus-solar wind interaction…
Venus Surface Composition Constrained by Observation and Experiment
Helbert, Jörn; Gilmore, Martha; Treiman, Allan +1 more
New observations from the Venus Express spacecraft as well as theoretical and experimental investigation of Venus analogue materials have advanced our understanding of the petrology of Venus melts and the mineralogy of rocks on the surface. The VIRTIS instrument aboard Venus Express provided a map of the southern hemisphere of Venus at ∼1 µm…
Modeling observations of solar coronal mass ejections with heliospheric imagers verified with the Heliophysics System Observatory
Rodriguez, L.; Zhang, T. L.; Möstl, C. +19 more
We present an advance toward accurately predicting the arrivals of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) at the terrestrial planets, including Earth. For the first time, we are able to assess a CME prediction model using data over two thirds of a solar cycle of observations with the Heliophysics System Observatory. We validate modeling results of 1337 CME…
Heliosheath Processes and the Structure of the Heliopause: Modeling Energetic Particles, Cosmic Rays, and Magnetic Fields
Wurz, P.; Fichtner, H.; Scherer, K. +11 more
This paper summarizes the results obtained by the team "Heliosheath Processes and the Structure of the Heliopause: Modeling Energetic Particles, Cosmic Rays, and Magnetic Fields" supported by the International Space Science Institute (ISSI) in Bern, Switzerland. We focus on the physical processes occurring in the outer heliosphere, especially at i…
Sulfur dioxide in the Venus atmosphere: I. Vertical distribution and variability
Vandaele, A. C.; Robert, S.; Montmessin, F. +18 more
Recent observations of sulfur containing species (SO2, SO, OCS, and H2SO4) in Venus' mesosphere have generated controversy and great interest in the scientific community. These observations revealed unexpected spatial patterns and spatial/temporal variability that have not been satisfactorily explained by models. S…
Sulfur dioxide in the Venus Atmosphere: II. Spatial and temporal variability
Vandaele, A. C.; Robert, S.; Montmessin, F. +18 more
The vertical distribution of sulfur species in the Venus atmosphere has been investigated and discussed in Part I of this series of papers dealing with the variability of SO2 on Venus. In this second part, we focus our attention on the spatial (horizontal) and temporal variability exhibited by SO2. Appropriate data sets - SPI…
Idunn Mons on Venus: Location and extent of recently active lava flows
Helbert, Jörn; D'Incecco, Piero; D'Amore, Mario +1 more
From 2006 until 2014 the ESA Venus Express probe observed the atmosphere and surface of the Earth's twin planet. The Visible and Infrared Thermal Imaging Spectrometer (VIRTIS) has provided data that indicate the occurrence of recent volcanic activity on Venus. We selected the eastern flank of Idunn Mons - Imdr Regio's single large volcano - as the…
Thermal structure of the upper atmosphere of Venus simulated by a ground-to-thermosphere GCM
López-Valverde, M. A.; Gilli, G.; González-Galindo, F. +5 more
We present here the thermal structure of the upper atmosphere of Venus predicted by a full self-consistent Venus General Circulation Model (VGCM) developed at Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique (LMD) and extended up to the thermosphere of the planet. Physical and photochemical processes relevant at those altitudes, plus a non-orographic GW para…
The thermal structure of the Venus atmosphere: Intercomparison of Venus Express and ground based observations of vertical temperature and density profiles✰
Montmessin, Franck; Tanga, Paolo; Tellmann, Silvia +30 more
The Venus International Reference Atmosphere (VIRA) model contains tabulated values of temperature and number densities obtained by the experiments on the Venera entry probes, Pioneer Venus Orbiter and multi-probe missions in the 1980s. The instruments on the recent Venus Express orbiter mission generated a significant amount of new observational …