The very busy auroral footprint of Ganymede

Conference (2009, September 13)

Recurrent Energization of Plasma in the Midnight-to-Dawn Quadrant of Saturn's Magnetosphere, and its Relationship to Auroral UV and Radio Emissions

Poster (2009, August 11)

Io UV footprint various spots: position and brightness variations

Conference (2009, July 27)

Does Saturn's UV aurora vary with SKR phase?

Conference (2009, July 27)

Auroral signatures of flow bursts released during substorm-like events in the Jovian magnetotail

Conference (2009, July 27)

Saturn Auroral Images and Movies from Cassini UVIS

Conference (2009, July 27)

The variability of auroral emissions on Jupiter and Saturn

Conference (2009, July 27)

The auroral footprint of Ganymede

in Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics (2009), 114(A07212),

The interaction of Ganymede with Jupiter's fast rotating magnetospheric plasma gives rise to a current system producing an auroral footprint in Jupiter's ionosphere, usually referred to as the Ganymede ... [more ▼]

The interaction of Ganymede with Jupiter's fast rotating magnetospheric plasma gives rise to a current system producing an auroral footprint in Jupiter's ionosphere, usually referred to as the Ganymede footprint. Based on an analysis of ultraviolet images obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope we demonstrate that the auroral footprint surface matches a circular region in Ganymede's orbital plane having a diameter of 8 to 20 RG. Temporal analysis of the auroral power of Ganymede's footprint reveals variations of different timescales: 1) a 5 hours timescale associated with the periodic flapping of Jupiter's plasma sheet over Ganymede, 2) a 10 to 40 minutes timescale possibly associated with energetic magnetospheric events, such as plasma injections, and 3) a 100 s timescale corresponding to quasi-periodic fluctuations which might relate to bursty reconnections on Ganymede's magnetopause and/or to the recurrent presence of acceleration structures above Jupiter's atmosphere. These three temporal components produce an auroral power emitted at Ganymede's footprint of the order of ~0.2 GW to ~1.5 GW. [less ▲]

Variation of different components of Jupiter's auroral emission

in Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics (2009), 114

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) data set obtained over two campaigns in 2007 is used to determine the long-term variability of the different components of Jupiter's auroras. Three regions on the planet's ... [more ▼]

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) data set obtained over two campaigns in 2007 is used to determine the long-term variability of the different components of Jupiter's auroras. Three regions on the planet's disc are defined: the main oval, the low-latitude auroras, and the high-latitude auroras. The UV auroral power emitted from these regions is extracted and compared to estimated solar wind conditions projected to Jupiter's orbit from Earth. In the first campaign the emitted power originated mainly from the main oval and the high-latitude regions, and in the second campaign the high-latitude and main oval auroras were dimmer and less variable, while the low-latitude region exhibited bright, patchy emission. We show that, apart from during specific enhancement events, the power emitted from the poleward auroras is generally uncorrelated with that of the main oval. The exception events are dawn storms and compression region enhancements. It is shown that the former events, typically associated with intense dawnside main oval auroras, also result in the brightening of the high-latitude auroras. The latter events associated with compression regions exhibit a particular auroral morphology; that is, where it is narrow and well defined, the main oval is bright and located ~1° poleward of its previous location, and elsewhere it is faint. Instead there is bright emission in the poleward region in the postnoon sector where distinct, bright, sometimes multiple arcs form. [less ▲]

Response of Jupiter's and Saturn's auroral activity to the solar wind

in Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics (2009), 114

While the terrestrial aurorae are known to be driven primarily by the interaction of the Earth's magnetosphere with the solar wind, there is considerable evidence that auroral emissions on Jupiter and ... [more ▼]

While the terrestrial aurorae are known to be driven primarily by the interaction of the Earth's magnetosphere with the solar wind, there is considerable evidence that auroral emissions on Jupiter and Saturn are driven primarily by internal processes, with the main energy source being the planets' rapid rotation. Prior observations have suggested there might be some influence of the solar wind on Jupiter's aurorae and indicated that auroral storms on Saturn can occur at times of solar wind pressure increases. To investigate in detail the dependence of auroral processes on solar wind conditions, a large campaign of observations of these planets has been undertaken using the Hubble Space Telescope, in association with measurements from planetary spacecraft and solar wind conditions both propagated from 1 AU and measured near each planet. The data indicate a brightening of both the auroral emissions and Saturn kilometric radiation at Saturn close in time to the arrival of solar wind shocks and pressure increases, consistent with a direct physical relationship between Saturnian auroral processes and solar wind conditions. At Jupiter the correlation is less strong, with increases in total auroral power seen near the arrival of solar wind forward shocks but little increase observed near reverse shocks. In addition, auroral dawn storms have been observed when there was little change in solar wind conditions. The data are consistent with some solar wind influence on some Jovian auroral processes, while the auroral activity also varies independently of the solar wind. This extensive data set will serve to constrain theoretical models for the interaction of the solar wind with the magnetospheres of Jupiter and Saturn. [less ▲]