Gravitational signatures of atmospheric thermal tides on Venus

Abstract

Thermal tides in the atmosphere of Venus transport a considerable amount of mass, on a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. We use simulated values of the surface atmospheric pressure distribution to estimate the time-varying gravitational potential, exterior to Venus. The expected amplitudes of gravitational signatures of thermal tides are below the errors from existing Magellan mission Doppler data, and have not yet been detected. However, they are large enough that we expect them to be well resolved by any of several measurement configurations for future Venus gravity missions.