Venus surface investigation based on VIRTIS measurements on Venus Express

Abstract

The dense atmosphere of Venus prevented systematic studies of its surface at optical wavelengths in the past. The discovery of near infrared nightside atmospheric windows has opened a new challenge for detailed surface studies. The Visible and Infrared Thermal Imaging Spectrometer (VIRTIS) on Venus Express is the first experiment collecting continuously nightside surface emission data from the planet. The observed high variability of measured signatures is mainly due to spatial variations of cloud optical depth and surface elevation. The investigation of surface properties requires a convergent approach of radiative transfer simulations and VIRTIS data analyses. Therefore, a selection of orbits with well calibrated data over the northern hemisphere was performed for footprints that cover a maximum range of surface elevation variations. Radiative transfer calculations demonstrate that the conservative character of cloud multiple scattering below 2 µm and a strong dependence of radiance ratios on surface elevation in this spectral region allow the mapping of surface topography and a retrieval of the surface temperature. To the first order, the surface temperature is a function of ground elevation. Small deviations from this first order dependence have been identified that are possibly due to different surface materials.