Atomic hydrogen loss at the top of HD 209458b's atmosphere has been recently detected Vidal-Madjar et al. 2003. We have developed a 1-dimensional model to study the chemistry in the upper atmosphere of this extrasolar "hot jupiter". The 3 most abundant elements (other than He), as well as 4 parent molecules are included in this model, viz., H, C, O, H2, CO, H2O, and CH4. The higher temperatures (~ 1000 K) and higher stellar irradiance (~6x10^5 W m^{-2}) strongly enhance and modify the chemical reaction rates in this atmosphere. Our two main results are that (a) the production of atomic hydrogen in the atmosphere is mainly driven by H2O photolysis and reaction of OH with H2, and is not sensitive to the exact abundances of CO, H2O, and CH4, and (b) H2O and CH4 can be produced via the photolysis of CO followed by the reactions with H2.Comment: submitted to ApJ

Abstract. Atmospheric heavy ozone is enriched in the isotopes

Aromatic compounds have been considered a likely candidate for enhanced aerosol formation in the polar region of Jupiter. We develop a new chemical model for aromatic compounds in the Jovian auroral thermosphere/ionosphere. The model is based on a previous model for hydrocarbon chemistry in the Jovian atmosphere and is constrained by observations from Voyager, Galileo, and the Infrared Space Observatory. Precipitation of energetic electrons provides the major energy source for the production of benzene and other heavier aromatic hydrocarbons. The maximum mixing ratio of benzene in the polar model is 2x10-9, a value that can be compared with the observed value of 2+2-1x10-9 in the north polar auroral region. Sufficient quantities of the higher ring species are produced so that their saturated vapor pressures are exceeded. Condensation of these molecules is expected to lead to aerosol formation.

We report laboratory measurements of cross sections of CH 3 D and C 2 H 5 D in the extreme ultraviolet. The results are incorporated in a photochemical model for the deuterated hydrocarbons up to C2 in the upper atmosphere of Jupiter, taking into account the fast reactions for exchanging H and D atoms between H 2 and CH 4 , H ϩ ,. Since there is no reliable kinetics measurement for the reaction, HD ↔ D ϩ H CH ϩ D ↔ CH D ϩ H 2 3 2 , we use Yung et al.'s estimate for its rate constant. The strong temperature dependence CH D ϩ H r CH ϩ D 2 3 for this reaction leads to large isotopic fractionation for CH 3 D and C 2 H 5 D in the upper atmosphere of Jupiter, where their production rates depend on the abundance of deuterated methyl radical. The model predicts that the D/H ratio in deuterated ethane is about 15 times that of the bulk atmosphere. A confirmation of this result would provide a sensitive test of the photochemistry of hydrocarbons in the atmosphere of Jupiter.

The Cassini measurements of C$_2$H$_2$ and C$_2$H$_6$ at $\sim$5 mbar provide a constraint on meridional transport in the stratosphere of Jupiter. We performed a two-dimensional photochemical calculation coupled with mass transport due to vertical and meridional mixing. The modeled profile of C$_2$H$_2$ at latitudes less than 70$^\circ$ follows the latitude dependence of the solar insolation, while that of C$_2$H$_6$ shows little latitude dependence, consistent with the measurements. In general, our model study suggests that the meridional transport timescale above 5-10 mbar altitude level is $\gtrsim$1000 years and the time could be as short as 10 years below 10 mbar level, in order to fit the Cassini measurements. The derived meridional transport timescale above the 5 mbar level is a hundred times longer than that obtained from the spreading of gas-phase molecules deposited after the impact of Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet. There is no explanation at this time for this discrepancy.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, 1 table. ApJL in pres