![Example weighting functions for selected microwave frequencies (logarithmically spaced between 3 mm - 3 m) corresponding to the model atmospheres for Saturn (top) and Uranus (bottom) from Figure 1. -- [astro-ph.EP]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Microwave-Remote-.png?fit=1200%2C671&ssl=1)
[astro-ph.EP] Microwave radiometer instruments are uniquely capable of studying volatile element abundances and heat/mass transport within the deep atmospheres of giant planets.
The results of the Juno MWR experiment have challenged long-held assumptions regarding Jupiter’s troposphere, and the inclusion of such an instrument on future missions to Saturn or the ice giants would similarly re-write our understanding of giant planet atmospheres.
We present a high-level summary of the capabilities of microwave radiometers for the study of giant planet atmospheres, including a review of the various scientific motivations and current knowledge, concise statement of the fundamentals of radiometer remote sensing accessible at the systems-engineering level, and calculations which are of illustrative value in the design of future instruments.
Alex Akins, Mark Hofstadter
Comments: 20 pages, 11 figures. Accepted to Planetary Science Journal
Subjects: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP); Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM)
Cite as: arXiv:2608.20669 [astro-ph.EP] (or arXiv:2608.20669v1 [astro-ph.EP] for this version)
https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2608.20669
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Submission history
From: Alex Akins
[v1] Fri, 21 Aug 2026 01:59:02 UTC (1,244 KB)
https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.20669
Astrobiology, exoplanet,
