The Upper Atmosphere of Venus in Light of the Mariner 5 Measurements

Abstract

Models for the Venus atmosphere and ionosphere are presented and compared with data obtained in the S-band occultation experiment on Mariner 5. Good agreement is found between model and experiment if the Venus atmosphere is composed of essentially pure CO₂. An upper limit of about 10% is derived for the N₂ mixing rate. It is argued that atomic oxygen is a minor constituent in the upper atmosphere of Venus.