Ammonia Absorption Relevant to the Albedo of Jupiter. Experimental Results

The absorption coefficient of ammonia between 2100 and 2250 A has been studied at temperatures of 295 and 195 K. No evidence was found for high-resolution transmission windows in this spectral region. The existence of such windows can therefore not be invoked to explain the observed albedo of Jupiter. Care must be taken in using published ammonia absorption coefficients, as some bands arise from absorption by vibrationally excited molecules which will be much less numerous at Jovian temperatures. Subject headings: Jupiter - molecules - spectra, laboratory