A&A 429, 1097-1105 (2005)
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20041695

Improved constraints on Neptune's atmosphere from submillimetre-wavelength observations

A. Marten¹, H. E. Matthews², T. Owen³, R. Moreno¹, T. Hidayat⁴ and Y. Biraud<sup>1

1</sup>  LESIA, Observatoire de Paris-Meudon, 92195 Meudon, France
    e-mail: andre.marten@obspm.fr
²  Joint Astronomy Centre, Hilo, HI 96720, USA
³  Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
⁴  Department of Astronomy and Bosscha Observatory, Bandung, 40132, Indonesia

(Received 20 July 2004 / Accepted 14 September 2004)

Abstract
We describe observations of Neptune carried out using the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (Mauna Kea, Hawaii) during September 1998. High-quality data for the sub-mm-wavelength rotational transitions of HCN ( J=4-3) and CO ( J=3-2 and 4-3) were obtained, and we use the data to make improved determinations of the abundances of these trace species and the temperature profile of Neptune's atmosphere.

Key words: planets and satellites: individual: Neptune -- radio lines: solar system

© ESO 2005

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