Atmospheric Windows and Scattering Footprints to Image the Surface from Beneath the Cloud Deck on the Night Side of Venus

The generally opaque Venusian atmosphere blocks nearly all wavelengths save for microwave and a few in the near-infrared (NIR) [Helbert et al., 2018], but these windows only apply to above the cloud deck. I will use simple radiative transfer modeling to identify potential surface viewing atmospheric windows on the night side of Venus, followed by modeling of the scattering footprint beneath the cloud deck for the purpose of assisting in future mission planning by bridging gaps in our knowledge. The NIR wavelengths can provide basic information about surface composition (felsic vs. mafic) and redox state, which have profound implications for the planet’s geologic history. This proposed project will assist in future mission planning to Venus by achieving two goals: I. Identification of potential surface viewing atmospheric windows beneath the cloud deck. II. Calculation of the altitude-dependent scattering footprint and hence the effective resolution of a spectroscopic system beneath the cloud deck. This is a continuation of preliminary work presented at the Venus Exploration Analysis Group Meeting (VEXAG) in November 2018.