Effect of Cloud Scattering on Line Formation in the Atmosphere of Venus

Abstract

Corrections for anisotropic scattering in a cloudy medium are added to a synthetic spectrum analysis by Belton, Hunten and Goody of CO2 bands and a water vapor line in the spectrum of Venus. It is found that to a good approximation the introduction of anisotropic scattering merely renormalizes the theoretical curves so that the corrections can be applied without recalculating the synthetic spectra. Since the line shapes and relative intensities are unaltered, derived pressures and temperatures remain the same. The corrected results indicate that the scattering mean free path in the Cytherian clouds resembles that for terrestrial cirrus clouds and that there is at least 20 times too little water vapor present to be in equilibrium with a water or ice cloud.