DETECTION OF H-3-EMISSION LINES IN SATURN( INFRARED)

Three emission lines of the nu2 fundamental vibration-rotation band of H-3+ have been detected in the ionosphere of Saturn near and at its p oles. The peak observed column density of H-3+ (at the south limb) is more than two orders of magnitude lower than the column density at the south pole of Jupiter and is less than that detected from Uranus. Whi le the number and the signal-to-noise ratios of observed transitions a re not sufficient to determine the temperature and abundance of H-3+ a ccurately, the observed emission intensities are consistent with a tem perature of almost-equal-to 800 K and total column density of almost-e qual-to 1.0 x 10(11) cm-2.