Temperature, Cloud Structure, and Dynamics of Venus Middle Atmosphere by Infrared Remote Sensing from Pioneer Orbiter

Abstract

Further results from the Venus orbiter radiometric temperature experiment (VORTEX) on the Pioneer orbiter are presented. These are used to characterize the three-dimensional temperature field, the cloud structure, and the dynamics of the 60-to 130-kilometer altitude region of the Venus atmosphere. One of the new discoveries is a "dipole" structure at high latitudes, with two hot spots rotating around the pole, surrounded by banks of cold cloud.