Alkali metal depletion in the deep Jovian atmosphere: The role of anions

The Juno Microwave Radiometer has allowed observation of Jupiter's atmosphere down to previously inaccessible depths, although the complexity of the atmospheric dynamics has complicated analysis. The longest-wavelength channel (600 MHz) is sensitive to pressure levels of hundreds of bars, and has observed opacity sources other than the known gaseous and cloud components, likely caused by thermally ionized free electrons from alkali metal vapor. We extend previous analysis of limb darkening at these wavelengths, using radiative transfer and thermal equilibrium modeling, by considering the effect of anions in the deep Jovian atmosphere, which act as a sink for free electrons and will thus decrease opacity for a given alkali metal abundance. We show that MWR observations are consistent with a sodium and potassium abundance on the order of 0.1× solar around the 1-kilobar level, higher than previously estimated but still substantially depleted compared to other heavy elements, a value that would be within the range of observed alkali metal abundances on giant exoplanets; alternatively, MWR observations may be consistent with 3× solar sodium abundance, but only if potassium is even more strongly depleted. Such depletion may be the result of either chemical processes yet deeper in the atmosphere, such as in the silicate clouds, or of a long-lived stable layer shallower than the alkali salt clouds. •Electrons in Jupiter's atmosphere at 200–1000 bars are mostly attached to anions•This affects conclusions from Juno Microwave Radiometer limb darkening•If the sodium to potassium ratio is solar, abundance of both is ∼0.1× solar•3× solar sodium, but less than 0.01× solar potassium may also be possible•Depletion explained by either deeper chemistry or inverted metallicity gradient