Jupiter's hydrocarbons observed with ISO-SWS: vertical profiles of C2H6 and C2H2, detection of CH3C2H

Abstract

We have analysed the ISO-SWS spectrum of Jupiter in the 12-16 micron range, where several hydrocarbons exhibit rovibrational bands. Using temperature information from the methane and hydrogen emissions, we derive the mixing ratios (q) of acetylene and ethane at two independent pressure levels. For acetylene, we find $q=(8.9_{-0.6}^{+1.1})\times 10^{-7}$ at 0.3 mbar and $q=(1.1_{-0.1}^{+0.2})\times 10^{-7}$ at 4 mbar, giving a slope $-d\ln q/d\ln P=0.8\pm 0.1$, while for ethane $q=(1.0\pm 0.2)\times 10^{-5}$ at 1 mbar and $q=(2.6_{-0.6}^{+0.5})\times 10^{-6}$ at 10 mbar, giving $-d\ln q/d\ln P=0.6\pm 0.2$. The ethane slope is consistent with the predictions of Gladstone et al. (1996), but that predicted for acetylene is larger than we observe. This disagreement is best explained by an overestimation of the acetylene production rate compared to that of ethane in the Gladstone et al. (1996) model. At 15.8 micron, methylacetylene is detected for the first time at low jovian latitudes, and a stratospheric column density of $(1.5\pm 0.4)\times 10^{15}$ molecule.cm-2 is inferred. We also derive an upper limit for the diacetylene column density of $7\times 10^{13}$ molecule.cm-2.

Letter accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics