Science. 1973 Dec 14;182(4117):1132-5. doi: 10.1126/science.182.4117.1132.
It is proposed that the visible cloud deck on Venus is composed of droplets of sulfuric acid. These are formed by the very rapid photooxidation of carbonyl sulfide in the upper atmosphere. The clouds are best described as an extensive haze since the predicted particulate scale height probably exceeds the gas scale height within the layer. The predicted mixing ratio for water is 10(-6) (lower limit), and for both carbonyl sulfide and sulfur dioxide it is 10(-7) (upper limit); these are in good agreement with observations. Gaps in the layer are not possible unless the planetary scale dynamics produce cloud turnover times of less than a few days. Under these conditions the water mixing ratio could approach 10(-4) and the formation of a thin hydrochloric acid haze at high altitude above the main cloud is possible.
有人提出，金星上可见的云层由硫酸液滴组成。这些液滴是在上层大气中羰基硫非常迅速的光氧化形成的。由于预测的颗粒尺度高度可能超过该层内的气体尺度高度，因此云层最好被描述为广泛的阴霾。预测的水混合比为 10(-6)（下限），对于羰基硫和二氧化硫，其混合比为 10(-7)（上限）；这些与观测结果吻合得很好。除非行星尺度动力学使云的翻转时间短于几天，否则该层中不可能出现间断。在这些条件下，水的混合比可能接近 10(-4)，并且在主云上方的高空可能形成一层薄的盐酸霾。
