An analysis of microwave observations of Venus

Abstract

we evaluate th e drop-water co nte nt as w grams per square cm = 0.20.3 g/c m2 ; in th e case of clouds with a water conte nt of up to 1 g pe r m:! thi s corresponds to a layer 3 km thick. The expec ted correction to thi s water-content es timate due to cloud la ye rs of crys talline structure is not higher than 20 to 30 percent. Of course the data given he re are not sufficient for a unique conclu s ion on the nature of the cloud layer of Venus. The features of the radiation spectrum mu st be in vestiga ted in greater detail; especially, the pattern of phase variation must be studied all over the superhigh frequency range_