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Venus comes to life at wavelengths invisible to human eyes
December 04, 2008A pale yellow-green dot to the human eye, Earth's twin planet comes to life in the ultraviolet and the infrared. New images taken by instruments on board ESA's Venus Express provide insight into the turbulent atmosphere of our neighbouring planet.
Using Venus Express, it is possible to compare what the planet looks like in different wavelengths, giving scientists a powerful tool to study the physical conditions and dynamics of the planet's atmosphere.
Observed in the ultraviolet, Venus shows numerous high-contrast features. The cause is the inhomogeneous distribution of a mysterious chemical in the atmosphere that absorbs ultraviolet light, creating the bright and dark zones.
The ultraviolet reveals the structure of the clouds and the dynamical conditions in the atmosphere, whereas the infrared provides information on the temperature and altitude of the cloud tops.
With data from Venus Express, scientists have learnt that the equatorial areas on Venus that appear dark in ultraviolet light are regions of relatively high temperature, where intense convection brings up dark material from below. In contrast, the bright regions at mid-latitudes are areas where the temperature in the atmosphere decreases with depth. The temperature reaches a minimum at the cloud tops suppressing vertical mixing. This annulus of cold air, nicknamed the 'cold collar', appears as a bright band in the ultraviolet images.
Observations in the infrared have been used to map the altitude of the cloud tops. Surprisingly, the clouds in both the dark tropics and the bright mid-latitudes are located at about the same height of about 72 km.
At 60° south, the cloud tops start to sink, reaching a minimum of about 64 km, and form a huge hurricane at the pole.
Infrared image overlaid on ultraviolet images bring the giant hurricane's eye at the planet's south pole to life. Its centre is displaced from the pole and the whole structure measures about 2000 km across, rotating around the pole in about 2.5 days.
This study, carried out by D. Titov and colleagues, has revealed that variable temperature and dynamical conditions at the Venus cloud tops are the cause of the global ultraviolet pattern.
But the exact chemical species that creates the high-contrast zones still remains elusive, and the search is on.
European Space Agency
The ultraviolet reveals the structure of the clouds and the dynamical conditions in the atmosphere, whereas the infrared provides information on the temperature and altitude of the cloud tops.
With data from Venus Express, scientists have learnt that the equatorial areas on Venus that appear dark in ultraviolet light are regions of relatively high temperature, where intense convection brings up dark material from below. In contrast, the bright regions at mid-latitudes are areas where the temperature in the atmosphere decreases with depth. The temperature reaches a minimum at the cloud tops suppressing vertical mixing. This annulus of cold air, nicknamed the 'cold collar', appears as a bright band in the ultraviolet images.
Observations in the infrared have been used to map the altitude of the cloud tops. Surprisingly, the clouds in both the dark tropics and the bright mid-latitudes are located at about the same height of about 72 km.
At 60° south, the cloud tops start to sink, reaching a minimum of about 64 km, and form a huge hurricane at the pole.
Infrared image overlaid on ultraviolet images bring the giant hurricane's eye at the planet's south pole to life. Its centre is displaced from the pole and the whole structure measures about 2000 km across, rotating around the pole in about 2.5 days.
This study, carried out by D. Titov and colleagues, has revealed that variable temperature and dynamical conditions at the Venus cloud tops are the cause of the global ultraviolet pattern.
But the exact chemical species that creates the high-contrast zones still remains elusive, and the search is on.
European Space Agency
Venus Express Current Events and Venus Express News RSSNew map hints at Venus's wet, volcanic past
Venus Express has charted the first map of Venus's southern hemisphere at infrared wavelengths. The new map hints that our neighbouring world may once have been more Earth-like, with both, a plate tectonics system and an ocean of water.
Where did Venus's water go?
Venus Express has made the first detection of an atmospheric loss process on Venus's day-side. Last year, the spacecraft revealed that most of the lost atmosphere escapes from the night-side.
Key molecule discovered in Venus's atmosphere
Venus Express has detected the molecule hydroxyl on another planet for the first time. This detection gives scientists an important new tool to unlock the workings of Venus's dense atmosphere.
Plan to identify watery Earth-like planets develops
Astronomers are looking to identify Earth-like watery worlds circling distant stars from a glint of light seen through an optical space telescope and a mathematical method developed by researchers at Penn State and the University of Hawaii.
Venus Express reboots the search for active volcanoes on Venus
ESA's Venus Express has measured a highly variable quantity of the volcanic gas sulphur dioxide in the atmosphere of Venus. Scientists must now decide whether this is evidence for active volcanoes on Venus, or linked to a hitherto unknown mechanism affecting the upper atmosphere.
Mars and Venus are surprisingly similar
Using two ESA spacecraft, planetary scientists are watching the atmospheres of Mars and Venus being stripped away into space. The simultaneous observations by Mars Express and Venus Express give scientists the data they need to investigate the evolution of the two planets' atmospheres.
The light and dark of Venus
Venus Express has revealed a planet of extraordinarily changeable and extremely large-scale weather. Bright hazes appear in a matter of days, reaching from the south pole to the low southern latitudes and disappearing just as quickly.
Basque Country University researchers publish two articles in Nature on latest discoveries on Venus
Nature journal has published a series of articles devoted to the new discoveries by the European Space Agency's (ESA) Venus Express space probe made on our neighbouring planet.
Setting stars reveal planetary secrets
Watching the stars set from the surface of the Earth may be a romantic pastime but when a spacecraft does it from orbit, it can reveal hidden details about a planet's atmosphere.
New isotope molecule may add to Venus' greenhouse effect
Planetary scientists on both sides of the Atlantic have tracked down a rare molecule in the atmospheres of both Mars and Venus. The molecule, an exotic form of carbon dioxide, could affect the way the greenhouse mechanism works on Venus.
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Living On the Venus Express Spoonface (Primary Contributor) |
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Colonization of Venus: Venus, Bone decalcification, Venus Express, Terraforming of Venus, Venera 5, Venera 6, Venera 7, Venera 8, Venera 9, Venera 10, ... Venera 14, Skyhook (structure), Vega program by John McBrewster (Editor), Frederic P. Miller (Editor), Agnes F. Vandome (Editor) Colonization of Venus - Venus, Bone decalcification, Venus Express, Terraforming of Venus, Venera 5, Venera 6, Venera 7, Venera 8, Venera 9, Venera 10, Venera 11, Venera 12, Venera 13, Venera 14, Skyhook (structure), Vega program |
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#10 Regular Envelope - Astrobright Venus Violet ( 4 1/8 x 9 1/2) (250) by Office Express A Quantity of 250 - #10 Venus Violet Regular Envelope - 24# Astobright Venus Violet Paper. This is made from Wausau Astrobright Venus Violet Paper. Venus Violet papers are made water soluable dyes. Consistant color makes these perfect for advertisements, brochures or even Greeting Cards. Use this envelope with a handmade card or note to ensure you get attention. |
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Marlene Dietrich 6 Disc Box Set ( Shanghai Express / Destry Rides Again / The Devil Is a Woman / A Foreign Affair / Blonde Venus / The Lady Is Willing ) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2.4 Import - Great Britain ] Directed By: Billy Wilder, George Marshall, Josef von Sternberg, Mitchell Leisen Also With: Anna May Wong (Primary Contributor), Brian Donlevy (Primary Contributor), Cary Grant (Primary Contributor), Clive Brook (Primary Contributor), Eugene Pallette (Primary Contributor), James Stewart (Primary Contributor), Joel McCrea (Primary Contributor), Lawrence Grant (Primary Contributor), Marlene Dietrich (Primary Contributor), Warner Oland (Primary Contributor), CategoryArthouse (Commentary), CategoryClassicFilms (Commentary), CategoryUSA (Commentary), film movie Classic (Commentary) Great Britain released, PAL/Region 2.4 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: English ( Mono ), English ( Subtitles ), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Shanghai Express;;As China's great train, the Shanghai Express, is being boarded and loaded with baggage, a mixed assortment of characters run elbows, a lady of questionable reputation known as the White Flower of the Chinese coast; a British Medical Corps officer; Warner Oland, a shady half-caste merchant with a penchant for carrying a cane; and Anna Mae Wong, an American-bred Chinese prostitute with plans for starting anew in marriage. The time of the journey is one of great political unrest, with the possibility of bands... |
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Greek Goddess Venus Adult Costume - (12-14) Adult ((12-14)) by CelebrateExpress Includes headband and dress. Does not include shoes. |
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Living on the Venus Express by Spoonface | |
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Venus Express (Original Mix) Stefan Tretau (Primary Contributor) |
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