Venera 8: Measurements of Temperature, Pressure and Wind Velocity on the Illuminated Side of Venus 1

Abstract

Measurements of the temperature, pressure and wind speed in the atmosphere of Venus are reported. These were obtained with the interplanetary station Venera 8, which was the first entry probe to telemeter data from the solar-illuminated side of Venus. One component of the horizontal wind velocity was obtained, for the direction from the landing site to the sub-Earth paint,σ25° from the zonal direction. This component was found to decrease from σ100 m sec−1 at an altitude of 50 km to σ0 at the ground, with the direction of flow from the day side of the planet toward the night side at all altitudes. Abstract Measurements of the temperature, pressure and wind speed in the atmosphere of Venus are reported. These were obtained with the interplanetary station Venera 8, which was the first entry probe to telemeter data from the solar-illuminated side of Venus. One component of the horizontal wind velocity was obtained, for the direction from the landing site to the sub-Earth paint,σ25° from the zonal direction. This component was found to decrease from σ100 m sec−1 at an altitude of 50 km to σ0 at the ground, with the direction of flow from the day side of the planet toward the night side at all altitudes.