Neptune's Global Atmospheric Dynamics

该奖项由2009年美国复苏和再投资法案(公法111-5)资助。海王星的大气层是太阳系中最活跃的大气层之一，但它仍然没有受到很好的限制。该项目将利用近红外和射电波段的新观测数据，更好地了解大气层中的全球环流。Keck的自适应光学(AO)辅助积分场光谱仪OSIRIS将被用来确定作为纬度的函数的平均云高度，然后将其与AO光谱进行比较。该团队已经拥有一个长期的宽带红外图像数据库，将用于调查自旅行者号航天器飞越以来行星外观可能发生的变化。由中红外数据确定的碳氢化合物的空间分布，以及用毫米波天文研究组合阵列(CARMA)测量的CO的空间分布，将共同产生关于海王星全球动力学的重要信息。这些数据往往会刺激天文学、地球物理、化学和机械工程以及机构之间的跨学科合作。观察员利用尖端仪器，帮助工程师调试和改进仪器。超越行星社区的影响来自于AO图像的强烈视觉吸引力，以及它们在讨论大气、湍流的来源和克服模糊的技术时的使用。除了通常向科学界传播外，该小组成员还定期向美国和国外的普通公众发表演讲，在更广泛的背景下介绍他们的研究。

AST-0908575de PaterThis award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).Neptune's atmosphere is one of the most dynamically active atmospheres in our solar system, and yet it is still poorly constrained. This project will gain a better understanding of the global circulation in this atmosphere using new sets of observations at near-infrared and radio wavelengths. The adaptive-optics (AO) assisted integral-field spectrometer OSIRIS at Keck will be used to determine the average cloud altitude as a function of latitude, which can then be compared to AO spectra. The team already has a long-term database of broadband infrared images which will be used to investigate possible changes in the appearance of the planet since the Voyager spacecraft flyby. The spatial distribution of hydrocarbons, determined from mid-infrared data, and the spatial distribution of CO, measured with the Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy (CARMA), together will yield important information on Neptune's global dynamics.These sorts of data often stimulate cross-disciplinary collaborations across astronomy, geo-physics, chemistry, and mechanical engineering, and between institutions. The observers make use of cutting-edge instrumentation, and help engineers debug and improve the instruments. Impacts beyond the planetary community come from the strong visual appeal of AO images, and their use when discussing the atmosphere, the origin of turbulence, and techniques to overcome blurring. As well as the usual dissemination to the scientific community, group members regularly give talks to the general public, in the US and abroad, featuring their research within a broader context.