Page "Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9" Paragraph 23

Observers hoped that the impacts would give them a first glimpse of Jupiter beneath the cloud tops, as lower material was exposed by the comet fragments punching through the upper atmosphere.

Spectroscopic studies revealed absorption lines in the Jovian spectrum due to diatomic sulfur ( S < sub > 2 </ sub >) and carbon disulfide ( CS < sub > 2 </ sub >), the first detection of either in Jupiter, and only the second detection of S < sub > 2 </ sub > in any astronomical object.

Other molecules detected included ammonia ( NH < sub > 3 </ sub >) and hydrogen sulfide ( H < sub > 2 </ sub > S ).

The amount of sulfur implied by the quantities of these compounds was much greater than the amount that would be expected in a small cometary nucleus, showing that material from within Jupiter was being revealed.

Oxygen-bearing molecules such as sulfur dioxide were not detected, to the surprise of astronomers.