Publication Abstracts

Arking and Rao 1971

Arking, A., and C.R.N. Rao, 1971: Refractive index of aqueous HCl and the clouds of Venus. Nat. Phys. Sci., 229, 116-117, doi:10.1038/physci229116a0.

Observations of the intensity and polarization of scattered solar radiation from Venus, coupled with numerical solutions to the radiative transfer equation, have in recent years fairly well defined the optical properties of the clouds of Venus. By fitting calculations of the variation of intensity of scattered light with phase angle to the phase curve of Venus, Arking and Potter have shown that the scattering particles are highly transparent with a refractive index between 1.3 and 1.7 in the visible spectrum. Analysis of polarization observations by Coffeen has further narrowed the possible range of the refractive index to between 1.43 and 1.55. Most recently, comparison of the polarization observations with exact numerical solutions to the radiative transfer equation, taking both multiple scattering and polarization into account has shown that the refractive index of the scattering material in the Venusian clouds should be 1.450±0.015 at the wavelength λ = 5500 Å. The comparison has further shown that the scatterers are spherical particles approximately 1 μm in radius. This sphericity strongly suggests that the particles are liquid.

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BibTeX Citation

@article{ar06100q,
  author={Arking, A. and Rao, C. R. N.},
  title={Refractive index of aqueous HCl and the clouds of Venus},
  year={1971},
  journal={Nature Physical Science},
  volume={229},
  pages={116--117},
  doi={10.1038/physci229116a0},
}

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RIS Citation

TY  - JOUR
ID  - ar06100q
AU  - Arking, A.
AU  - Rao, C. R. N.
PY  - 1971
TI  - Refractive index of aqueous HCl and the clouds of Venus
JA  - Nat. Phys. Sci.
JO  - Nature Physical Science
VL  - 229
SP  - 116
EP  - 117
DO  - 10.1038/physci229116a0
ER  -

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