Nature Communications (Jul 2016)

Determining solar effects in Neptune’s atmosphere

  • K. L. Aplin,
  • R. G. Harrison

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms11976
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7, no. 1
pp. 1 – 8

Abstract

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The causes behind fluctuations in Neptune's brightness as observed from Earth have proved enigmatic. Here, Aplin and Harrison use photometric observations to show that solar ultraviolet radiation and galactic cosmic rays combined are responsible for the fluctuations originating in Neptune’s atmosphere.