COMPLETE MICROWAVE SCATTERING AND EXTINCTION PROPERTIES OF POLYDISPER SED CLOUD AND RAIN ELEMENTS

摘要

The most recent microwave brightness determinations of Venus are analyzed in the light of new theoretical results concerning the equivalent scattering and absorption properties of typical terrestrial clouds and precipitation. Based on the argument that the analysis of existing data does not conclusively demonstrate the absence of large amounts of water in the lower Venetian atmosphere, it is shown that a 600 K surface temperature and a planet-wide continuous and thick water-cloud veil is consistent with the observed microwave brightnessndistribution in the millimeter and centimeter range. The total waterncontent of this veil is estimated at 10 gm cm -2. The surface pressurenof the sustaining atmosphere may be as low as three atmospheres.