<p>The NASA <a href="https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/pioneer-venus-1/in-depth/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Pioneer Venus Orbiter</a> mission was planned for a minimum duration of <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.205.4401.44" rel="nofollow noreferrer">243 days</a> to cover all Venus longitudes, but eventually sent data for about <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pioneer_Venus_Orbiter" rel="nofollow noreferrer">14 years</a>.</p>
<p>Some of the major results are:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>The <strong>Venus International Reference Atmosphere (VIRA)</strong>, a detailed model of
the atmosphere of Venus, was first published in 1985 using data from
the Pioneer Venus Orbiter and the Soviet <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venera" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Venera</a> missions, <em>an
inspiring example of scientific collaboration during the cold war</em>. It was later <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0273117715005967" rel="nofollow noreferrer">updated</a> using data from the late Soviet Veneras and
the ESA <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_Express" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Venus Express</a>.</p>
<p>VIRA consists of the following <a href="https://www.cospar-assembly.org/abstractcd/COSPAR-12/abstracts/C3.3-0001-12.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">components</a>: (1) Models of the
structure of the atmosphere of Venus up to 100 km
altitude, (2) Circulation of the atmosphere up to 100 km altitude,
(3) Particulate matter in the Venus atmosphere, (4) Models of Venus
neutral upper atmosphere: structure and composition (from <a href="https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20170012290/downloads/20170012290.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">100 to 250 km altitude</a>), (5) Composition
of the atmosphere below 100 km altitude, (6) Structure and composition of clouds on Venus, (7) Solar and thermal
radiation in the Venus atmosphere, (8) The <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0273117797002718" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Venus ionosphere</a>.</p>
</li>
<li><p><strong><a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/JA085iA13p08187" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Thermal equilibrium model of Venus</a></strong> including variation of the radiative flux with height and the <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/JA085iA13p08223" rel="nofollow noreferrer">greenhouse behavior</a></p>
</li>
<li><p><strong><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0273117707010095" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Venus magnetic field observations</a></strong></p>
</li>
<li><p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0032063306001723" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><strong>Interaction of solar wind with Venus</strong></a></p>
</li>
<li><p><a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.205.4401.41" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><strong>Venus surface and interior studies</strong></a> using the Orbiter Radar (ORAD) instrument</p>
</li>
<li><p><a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2302.12859" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><strong>Gamma ray bursts catalog</strong></a> observed in outer space by the Pioneer Venus Orbiter</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p><em>P. S. Special thanks to <a href="https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/users/7982/uhoh">@uhoh</a> for powering Astronomy SE by their graciousness and kindness on numerous occasions.</em></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-04-04T10:05:10.757Z
2023-04-11T17:09:47.710Z
2023-04-11T17:09:47.710Z
Ritesh Singh
<p>Based on the Wikipedia page <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pioneer_Venus_Orbiter" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Pioneer Venus Orbiter</a> (also known as Pioneer Venus 1, Pioneer 12, 1978-051A) there were quite a few scientific instruments on board. But what scientific results were extracted from the data collected? What did we discover about Venus with Pioneer?</p>
<hr />
<p>Note: I hesitated to post this question on the Space Exploration Stackexchange, but since the question is about the characteristics of Venus and the science done with the probe, but not about the probe itself, I figured it was a better fit for this site.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-27T09:51:41.397Z
ya in Space SE there are [27 questions tagged Pioneer](https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/pioneer) but none are of the "what discoveries..." variety, nor are any of the [7 questions tagged Venus that include "pioneer"](https://space.stackexchange.com/search?q=%5Bvenus%5D+pioneer). I think you made the right call. I asked [Has Hubble photographed Venus in near IR? If so how does it compare to the new and exciting Parker Solar Probe image?](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/q/41691/7982) here as well.
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-28T13:27:59.660Z
Going to the NASA master catalog (https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/PublicationQuery.jsp) and searching on 'Pioneer Venus' indicates from 550+ publications.
Jon Custer
<planetary-atmosphere><venus><planetary-science><geology>
What discoveries were made thanks to Pioneer orbiter data?
usernumber
# What discoveries were made thanks to Pioneer orbiter data?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-06-27)

Based on the Wikipedia page [Pioneer Venus Orbiter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pioneer_Venus_Orbiter) (also known as Pioneer Venus 1, Pioneer 12, 1978-051A) there were quite a few scientific instruments on board. But what scientific results were extracted from the data collected? What did we discover about Venus with Pioneer?

---

Note: I hesitated to post this question on the Space Exploration Stackexchange, but since the question is about the characteristics of Venus and the science done with the probe, but not about the probe itself, I figured it was a better fit for this site.

**Tags:** planetary-atmosphere, venus, planetary-science, geology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: ya in Space SE there are [27 questions tagged Pioneer](https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/pioneer) but none are of the "what discoveries..." variety, nor are any of the [7 questions tagged Venus that include "pioneer"](https://space.stackexchange.com/search?q=%5Bvenus%5D+pioneer). I think you made the right call. I asked [Has Hubble photographed Venus in near IR? If so how does it compare to the new and exciting Parker Solar Probe image?](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/q/41691/7982) here as well.  
> **username_2**: Going to the NASA master catalog (https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/PublicationQuery.jsp) and searching on 'Pioneer Venus' indicates from 550+ publications.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2023-04-04. Score: 6

The NASA [Pioneer Venus Orbiter](https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/pioneer-venus-1/in-depth/) mission was planned for a minimum duration of [243 days](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.205.4401.44) to cover all Venus longitudes, but eventually sent data for about [14 years](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pioneer_Venus_Orbiter).

Some of the major results are:

* The **Venus International Reference Atmosphere (VIRA)**, a detailed model of
  the atmosphere of Venus, was first published in 1985 using data from
  the Pioneer Venus Orbiter and the Soviet [Venera](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venera) missions, *an
  inspiring example of scientific collaboration during the cold war*. It was later [updated](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0273117715005967) using data from the late Soviet Veneras and
  the ESA [Venus Express](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_Express).

  VIRA consists of the following [components](https://www.cospar-assembly.org/abstractcd/COSPAR-12/abstracts/C3.3-0001-12.pdf): (1) Models of the
  structure of the atmosphere of Venus up to 100 km
  altitude, (2) Circulation of the atmosphere up to 100 km altitude,
  (3) Particulate matter in the Venus atmosphere, (4) Models of Venus
  neutral upper atmosphere: structure and composition (from [100 to 250 km altitude](https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20170012290/downloads/20170012290.pdf)), (5) Composition
  of the atmosphere below 100 km altitude, (6) Structure and composition of clouds on Venus, (7) Solar and thermal
  radiation in the Venus atmosphere, (8) The [Venus ionosphere](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0273117797002718).
* **[Thermal equilibrium model of Venus](https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/JA085iA13p08187)** including variation of the radiative flux with height and the [greenhouse behavior](https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/JA085iA13p08223)
* **[Venus magnetic field observations](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0273117707010095)**
* [**Interaction of solar wind with Venus**](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0032063306001723)
* [**Venus surface and interior studies**](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.205.4401.41) using the Orbiter Radar (ORAD) instrument
* [**Gamma ray bursts catalog**](https://arxiv.org/abs/2302.12859) observed in outer space by the Pioneer Venus Orbiter

*P. S. Special thanks to [@username_1](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/users/7982/username_1) for powering Astronomy SE by their graciousness and kindness on numerous occasions.*


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