SEARCH FOR NH3 IN JUPITER STRATOSPHERE 10 MONTHS AFTER SL9 COLLISION

We present high-resolution 11-mu m NH3 observations of the Shoemaker-L evy 9 sites that were conducted on May 15-18, 1995 UT at the NASA Infr ared Telescope Facility. No emission from stratospheric NH3 was detect ed at any location, The upper limit on the NH3 column density above 40 mbar is 6 x 10(15) molecule cm(-2), about 30 times less than that obs erved on July 20-31 1994 UT over the K site. Destruction of stratosphe ric NH3 indicates that shielding from ultraviolet radiation was not ef ficient over a period of several months. Latitudinal variations observ ed in the NH3 absorption line can be interpreted through variations in the tropospheric temperature field consistent with Voyager and ground -based observations. No change in tropospheric NH3 around impact latit ude needs to be invoked to explain these variations. (C) 1997 Academic Press.