Absolute reflectivity spectra of Jupiter: 0.25-3.5 micrometers

Abstract

The world-wide observing campaign of the Comet P/Shoe-maker-Levy 9 (SL9) impacts into Jupiter during July 1994 has led to an unprecedented quantity of imaging data, predominantly in the visible to near-infrared wavelength regime. In an effort to provide reference brightness values for Jupiter at all latitudes, we present a compilation of absolute reflectivity scans along the jovian central meridian during the impact epoch. Images from both Earth-orbiting and ground-based telescopes were photometrically calibrated and analyzed to provide as much spatial resolution and wavelength coverage as possible. This fundamental reference will be made available to the entire planetary science community as a means to photometrically reduce uncalibrated data from the SL9 impacts via the Planetary Data System (PDS). Until the entire data set is ingested into the PDS, it will be available through a World Wide Web site and the AAS CD-ROM series. © 1990 Academic Press, Inc.