Jovian auroral spectroscopy with FUSE: analysis of self-absorption and implications for electron precipitation

in Icarus: International Journal of Solar System Studies (2004), 171(2), 336-355

High-resolution (similar to 0.22 Angstrom) spectra of the north jovian aurora were obtained in the 905-1180 Angstrom window with the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) on October 28, 2000. The ... [more ▼]

High-resolution (similar to 0.22 Angstrom) spectra of the north jovian aurora were obtained in the 905-1180 Angstrom window with the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) on October 28, 2000. The FUSE instrument resolves the rotational structure of the H-2 spectra and the spectral range allows the study of self-absorption. Below 1100 Angstrom, transitions connecting to the upsilon" less than or equal to 2 levels of the H-2 ground state are partially or totally absorbed by the overlying H2 molecules. The FUSE spectra provide information on the overlying H2 column and on the vibrational distribution of H-2. Transitions from high-energy H-2 Rydberg states and treatment of self-absorption are considered in our synthetic spectral generator. We show comparisons between synthetic and observed spectra in the 920-970, 1030-1080, and 1090-1180 Angstrom spectral windows. In a first approach (single-layer model), the synthetic spectra are venerated in a thin emitting layer and the emerging photons are absorbed by a layer located above the source. It is found that the parameters of the single-layer model best fitting the three spectral windows are 850, 800, and 800 K respectively for the H-2 gas temperature and 1.3 x 10(18), 1.5 x 10(20), and 1.3 x 10(20) cm(-2) for the H-2 self-absorbing vertical column respectively. Comparison between the H-2 column and a 1-D atmospheric model indicates that the short-wavelength FUV auroral emission originates from just above the homopause. This is confirmed by the high H-2 rovibrational temperatures, close to those deduced from spectral analyses of H-3(+) auroral emission. In a second approach, the synthetic spectral generator is coupled with a vertically distributed 3 energy degradation model, where the only input is the energy distribution of incoming electrons (multi-layer model). The model that best fits globally the three FUSE spectra is a sum of Maxwellian functions, with characteristic energies ranging from 1 to 100 keV, giving rise to an emission peak located at 5 mubar, that is similar to 100 km below the methane homopause. This multi-layer model is also applied to a re-analysis of the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT) auroral spectrum and accounts for the H2 self-absorption as well as the methane absorption. It is found that no additional discrete soft electron precipitation is necessary to fit either the FUSE or the HUT observations. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. [less ▲]

HST STIS Observations of Saturn's Auroral Variations Concurrent with the Cassini Solar Wind Campaign in Jan. 2004

Conference (2004, May 17)

Saturn's magnetosphere is often referred to as "intermediate between the cases of the Earth and Jupiter". Due to very limited measurements of Saturn's magnetosphere and auroral activity, however, it has ... [more ▼]

Saturn's magnetosphere is often referred to as "intermediate between the cases of the Earth and Jupiter". Due to very limited measurements of Saturn's magnetosphere and auroral activity, however, it has never been clear in detail what this statement means. A recent campaign of HST STIS UV imaging of Saturn's aurora has been carried out over 8-30 Jan. 2004 concurrent with measurements of the approaching solar wind by Cassini. This imaging set is much more comprehensive than any earlier observations of Saturn's aurora, obtained at a time when Saturn's southern auroral oval is completely visible due to the large apparent tilt of Saturn. The data provide the opportunity to determine the mean distribution of the auroral emissions, the degree of corotation of any bright regions, any variations with local time of the emissions, the latitudinal motions of the main oval with time and location, and other parameters. In addition, each of these can be compared with the approaching solar wind conditions and Saturn's kilometric radiation (SKR) intensity from Cassini measurements. Quick looks at the data from HST and Cassini demonstrate that the measurements have been made successfully, and the coverage includes dramatic variations in Saturn's auroral activity as well as at least two solar wind shocks passing Cassini. This presentation will concentrate on the measured properties of Saturn's aurora in the context of comparisons with the magnetospheres of the Earth and Jupiter. [less ▲]

Auroral emissions of Jupiter: FUV imaging and time dependent spectroscopy

Conference (2004, April 25)

Spectral observations of transient features in the FUV Jovian polar aurora

in Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics (2003), 108

Images of the Jovian FUV aurora show several morphologically and dynamically different regions. The main oval is usually fairly steady while the high-latitude emission inside the oval can vary over ... [more ▼]

Images of the Jovian FUV aurora show several morphologically and dynamically different regions. The main oval is usually fairly steady while the high-latitude emission inside the oval can vary over timescales of <1 min. We describe time and spatially resolved spectral observations of the Jovian aurora made with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on board the Hubble Space Telescope. Time-tagged spectra have been used to determine variations of the amount of hydrocarbon absorption above the auroral source layer. Rapid brightenings are observed in the high-latitude emission with typical lengths of 50-100 s. They generally are not correlated with enhancements of the main oval in the same longitude sector, indicating decoupled source regions in the magnetosphere. The location of the high-latitude spots and their variability suggest that, unlike the main auroral oval, the polar cap brightenings are connected to short-term variations of the solar wind parameters. Results from a two-stream electron transport model are used to convert observed spectral color ratios into mean electron energies <E>. Electron energies during these brightenings typically range from 40 to 120 keV, close to the values found in the main oval. The time evolution of <E> generally shows little correlation or anticorrelation with the energy flux precipitated during these transient events. This feature suggests that the mechanism responsible for rapid transient brightenings does not increase the energy of the precipitated electrons, but it enhances their number flux. Pitch angle scattering into the loss cone by magnetic pumping of energy perpendicular to the field lines following magnetic field compression is a possible process. [less ▲]

Map of the precipitated electron mean energy in the Jovian aurora

Conference (2002, June 17)

Spatially resolved far ultraviolet spectroscopy of the jovian aurora

in Icarus: International Journal of Solar System Studies (2002), 157(1), 91-103

Spatially resolved spectra in four 50-Angstrom FUV spectral windows were obtained across the jovian aurora with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) on board the Hubble Space Telescope. Nearly ... [more ▼]

Spatially resolved spectra in four 50-Angstrom FUV spectral windows were obtained across the jovian aurora with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) on board the Hubble Space Telescope. Nearly simultaneous ultraviolet imaging makes it possible to correlate the intensity variations along the STIS slit with those observed in the images and to characterize the global auroral context prevailing at the time of the observations. Spectra at similar to1-Angstrom resolution taken in pairs included an unabsorbed window and a spectral region affected by hydrocarbon absorption. Both sets of spectra correspond to an aurora with a main oval brightness of about 130 kilorayleighs of H-2 emission. The far ultraviolet color ratios I(1550-1620 Angstrom)/I(1230-1300 Angstrom) are 2.3 and 5.9 for the noon and morning sectors of the main oval, respectively. We use an interactive model coupling the energy degradation of incoming energetic electrons, auroral temperature and composition, and synthetic H2 spectra to fit the intensity distribution of the H2 lines. It is found that the model best fitting globally the spectra has a soft energy component in addition to a 10 erg cm(-2) s(-1) flux of 80 keV electrons. It provides an effective H2 temperature of 540 K. The relative intensity of temperature-sensitive H-2 lines indicates differences between the auroral main oval and polar cap emissions. The amount of methane absorption across the polar region is shown to vary in a way consistent with temperature. For the second spectral pair, the polar cap shows a higher attenuation by CH4, indicating a harder precipitation along high-latitude magnetic field lines. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science (USA). [less ▲]

Spatial and temporal variations of the Jovian auroral electrons deduced from HST-STIS ultraviolet spectroscopy

in Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society (2001, November 01)

Jovian auroral spectra have been observed with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrometer (STIS) in both hemispheres since 1997, including during the recent Cassini Jupiter millenium campaign. The time ... [more ▼]

Jovian auroral spectra have been observed with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrometer (STIS) in both hemispheres since 1997, including during the recent Cassini Jupiter millenium campaign. The time-tagged G140L STIS spectra used for this study cover the 1100-1700 Ì· range which includes the Lyman (B-X) bands and continuum and the Werner (C-X) bands. Time-dependent spectroscopy with spatial resolution along the 25 arcsec slit makes it possible to follow spectral and temporal variations in different regions of the aurora. FUV images observed on the same HST orbit were obtained to put the spectral data into the global morphology context. Synchronous observations of spectral domains absorbed or not by CH4 and other hydrocarbons are used to determine the FUV color ratio and the depth of the auroral emission relative to the methane homopause. Large variations of the color ratio across the auroral oval are observed. The time evolution of the mean electron energy and its possible correlation with the precipitated energy flux are investigated. It is found that the mean electron energy generally positively correlates with the auroral brightness. In contrast, flares occasionally observed in the polar cap can correspond to a softening or a hardening of the precipitation. The mean electron energy associated with the Io trail is approximately constant and shows less hydrocarbon absorption than the higher latitude aurora. [less ▲]

High color ratio and high temperature in Jupiter's auroral atmosphere

Poster (2001, October 27)

A high FUV color ratio usually implies that most of the energy of the impinging auroral particles is deposited below the methane homopause. In this region, the resulting auroral heating is efficiently ... [more ▼]

A high FUV color ratio usually implies that most of the energy of the impinging auroral particles is deposited below the methane homopause. In this region, the resulting auroral heating is efficiently balanced by the strong hydrocarbon cooling. Therefore, this auroral process cannot sustain the high temperature observed in the Jovian auroral atmosphere. This work is an attempt to remove the ambiguity between the high color ratios and high temperatures deduced from the HST data. In order to study this apparent contradiction, the two-stream energy deposition model described by Grodent et al. (2001) has been upgraded with a Joule heating module and an adiabatic cooling approximation. The most recent hydrocarbon auroral density profiles have been included. A new EUV-FUV spectral generator has been developed and allows one to consider new observational constrains, such as the very high H2 scale heights deduced from the Cassini-Jupiter flyby HST observations. [less ▲]

HST/GHRS ultraviolet spectroscopy and model diagnostics of the Jovian aurora

Poster (1999, October 10)

Far ultraviolet Observations of Jovian low latitude regions with HST/STIS

in Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society (1999, September 01), 30(11),

Far ultraviolet observations of the Jovian disk were made at low and mid-latitudes with FUV MAMA/STIS on board HST in January 1999 both in the imaging and spectroscopic modes. An image was obtained with ... [more ▼]

Far ultraviolet observations of the Jovian disk were made at low and mid-latitudes with FUV MAMA/STIS on board HST in January 1999 both in the imaging and spectroscopic modes. An image was obtained with the Lyalpha filter in the hydrogen bulge region for comparison with the expected Lyman-alpha brightness distribution for Ly-alpha resonance scattering. Other images in the 1200-1700 { Angstroms} region show band structures parallel to the equator with fading contrast toward the center and the limb. Spectroscopic observations were made in the 1200-1700 { Angstroms} (G140L) and 1245-1298 { Angstroms} (G140M) regions at ~ 5 { Angstroms} resolution to map the H_2 airglow and the UV absorbents along the STIS slit. Preliminary results indicate that a C_2H_2 absorption signature is clearly observed in the solar ultraviolet reflected spectrum. The ethylene absorption may be mapped to derive variations of the acetylene abundance. The H_2 FUV airglow shows both the fluorescence and the electron impact components. Its spatial variation is described and compared with the expected airglow distribution. We acknowledge funding by NASA and by the PRODEX program of the European space agency. [less ▲]