 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 ( S2 ) and carbon disulfide ( CS2 ) , the first detection of either in Jupiter , and only the second detection of S2 in any astronomical object . Other molecules detected included ammonia ( NH3 ) and hydrogen sulfide ( H2S ) . 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 . 
