Pioneer Venus Small Probes Net Flux Radiometer Experiments

Pioneer Venus Small Probes Net Flux Radiometer Experiments (PVSPNFR)

1978

On this mission four instrumented atmospheric entry probes were carried by a spacecraft bus to the vicinity of Venus for descent through the atmosphere to the planetary surface. Two Small Probes entered on the nightside, and one Small Probe and one Large Probe entered on the dayside of the planet. The spacecraft Bus entered the atmosphere and obtained atmospheric composition data until burnup. Investigations emphasized the study of the structure composition and nature of the atmosphere down to the surface, and of the clouds, the radiation field and energy exchange in the lower atmosphere, and local information on the atmospheric circulation pattern. A sister mission, Pioneer Venus Orbiter, placed an orbiting spacecraft around Venus five days before the Probes entered the atmosphere. Simultaneous measurements by the Probes and Orbiter permitted relating specific local measurements to the general state of the planet and its environment as observed from orbit.

From National Space Science Data Center, NSSDC ID: 1978-078E

Investigators

Dr. Verner E. Suomi Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC)

Related Websites

Publications

Revercomb, Henry E.; Sromovsky, L. A.; Suomi, V. E. and Boses, R. W.. Thermal net flux measurements on the Pioneer Venus entry probes. Advances in Space Research [also presented at the COSPAR, IAU, IAGA and IAMAP Plenary Meeting, 25th, Workshop on the Atmosphere of Venus: Recent Findings, 3rd, Graz, Austria, 25 June-7 July 1984], v. 5, no. 9, 1985, pp.81-84. Reprint # 588.
Seiff, A.; Sromovsky, L.; Borucki, W.; Craig, R.; Juergens, D.; Young, R. E. and Ragent, B.. Pioneer Venus 12.5 km anomaly workshop report (volume 1): Proceedings of a workshop held at Moffett Field, California, September 28-29, 1993. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Scientific and Technical Information Branch, Washington, DC, 1995, 24p. NAS 1.55:3303.
Sromovsky, Lawrence A.; Revercomb, H. E. and Suomi, V. E.. New atmospheric temperature results from the Pioneer Venus entry probes. Advances in Space Research [presented at COSPAR, IAU, IAGA and IAMAP Plenary Meeting, 25th, Workshop on the Atmosphere of Venus: Recent Findings, 3rd, Graz, Austria, 25 June-7 July 1984], Volume 5, Issue 9, 1985, pp.37-40. Reprint # 589.
Sromovsky, Lawrence A.; Revercomb, H. E. and Suomi, V. E.. Pioneer Venus Small Probes Net Flux Radiometer Experiment. IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, v. GE-18, no. 1, 1980, pp.117-122. Reprint # 118.
Sromovsky, Lawrence A.; Revercomb, H. E. and Suomi, V. E.. Temperature Structure in the Lower Atmosphere of Venus: New Results Derived from Pioneer Venus Entry Probe Measurements. Icarus, v. 62, no. 3, 1985, pp.458-493. Reprint # 666.
Suomi, Verner E.; Sromovsky, L. A. and Revercomb, H. E.. Preliminary results of the Pioneer Venus Small Probe Net Flux Radiometer Experiment. Science v. 205, no. 4401, 1979, pp.82-85. Reprint # 128.
Tomasko, M. G.; Smith, Peter H.; Suomi, V. E.; Sromovsky, L. A.; Revercomb, H. E.. The thermal balance of Venus in light of the Pioneer Venus mission. Journal of Geophysical Research v. 85, no. A13, 1980, pp.8187-8199. Reprint # 135.

Images

H.E. Revercomb, L.A. Sromovsky, and V.E. Suomi study net flux radiometer observations from Pioneer Venus.

University of Wisconsin-Madison Communications
Pioneer Venus small probe, close-up

NASA
The Net Flux Radiometer was in the small probes (small umbrella-shaped structures) which spun off of the main Pioneer Venus spacecraft.

NASA
Technicians at Huges Aircraft, El Segundo, CA, work on Pioneer Venus spacecraft.

NASA
Net Flux Radiometer for the Pioneer Venus, Space Science and Engineering Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison

University of Wisconsin Archives