Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 3 March 1995:
Vol. 267. no. 5202, pp. 1307 - 1313
DOI: 10.1126/science.7871428
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

Science, Vol 267, Issue 5202, 1307-1313
Copyright © 1995 by American Association for the Advancement of Science

articles

HST spectroscopic observations of Jupiter after the collision of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9

KS Noll, MA McGrath, LM Trafton, SK Atreya, JJ Caldwell, HA Weaver, RV Yelle, C Barnet, and S Edgington

Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD 21218.

Ultraviolet spectra obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope identified at least 10 molecules and atoms in the perturbed stratosphere near the G impact site, most never before observed in Jupiter. The large mass of sulfur-containing material, more than 10(14) grams in S2 alone, indicates that many of the sulfur-containing molecules S2, CS2, CS, H2S, and S+ may be derived from a sulfur-bearing parent molecule native to Jupiter. If so, the fragment must have penetrated at least as deep as the predicted NH4SH cloud at a pressure of approximately 1 to 2 bars. Stratospheric NH3 was also observed, which is consistent with fragment penetration below the cloud tops. Approximately 10(7) grams of neutral and ionized metals were observed in emission, including Mg II, Mg I, Si I, Fe I, and Fe II. Oxygen-containing molecules were conspicuous by their absence; upper limits for SO2, SO, CO, SiO, and H2O are derived.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
The Formation of HCS and HCSH Molecules and Their Role in the Collision of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 with Jupiter.
R. I. Kaiser, C. Ochsenfeld, M. Head-Gordon, and Y. T. Lee (1998)
Science 279, 1181-1184
   Abstract »    Full Text »
HST imaging of atmospheric phenomena created by the impact of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9.
H. Hammel, R. Beebe, A. Ingersoll, G. Orton, Mills JR, A. Simon, P Chodas, J. Clarke, E De Jong, T. Dowling, et al. (1995)
Science 267, 1288-1296
   Abstract »    PDF »
Impact debris particles in Jupiter's stratosphere.
R. West, E Karkoschka, A. Friedson, M Seymour, K. Baines, and H. Hammel (1995)
Science 267, 1296-1301
   Abstract »    PDF »
HST far-ultraviolet imaging of Jupiter during the impacts of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9.
J. Clarke, R Prange, G. Ballester, J Trauger, R Evans, D Rego, K Stapelfeldt, W Ip, J. Gerard, H Hammel, et al. (1995)
Science 267, 1302-1307
   Abstract »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)