If the line is real, is it phosphine or sulphur dioxide?
Three answers, none aheadNone is ahead yet. See what would settle it.
Where it stands
Three answers have been proposed. None is ahead on the evidence yet. Three are still possible. Of the one narrower question under it, none is answered yet.
Answers 3
History
- Greaves et al. puts forward: the absorption is phosphine.
- Encrenaz et al.: iRTF/TEXES infrared spectra give a 3-sigma limit of 5 ppbv near the cloud tops.Against: The absorption is phosphine.
- Lincowski et al. puts forward: the absorption is mesospheric sulphur dioxide above 80 km.
- Greaves et al.: the line is wider than SO2 features and the SO2 abundance needed would be an extreme outlier.For: The absorption is phosphine.
- Mogul et al.: pioneer Venus Large Probe mass spectra at 51.3 km are assigned in part to phosphine.For: The absorption is phosphine.
- Lincowski et al.: radiative transfer shows typical mesospheric SO2 fits the JCMT feature and the line forms above 80 km.For: The absorption is mesospheric sulphur dioxide above 80 km.
- Cordiner et al.: sOFIA found no phosphine lines at 533 and 1,067 GHz, limit 0.8 ppb at 75–110 km.Against: The absorption is phosphine.
- Greaves et al.: sO2 contamination is estimated at about 10 per cent (JCMT) and 2 per cent or less (ALMA).For: The absorption is phosphine.
- Greaves et al.: a JCMT SO2 spectrum within days of the 2017 data and simultaneous ALMA SO2 imply low contamination.Against: The absorption is mesospheric sulphur dioxide above 80 km.
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