Location and Morphology of Io's FUV Footprint Emissions on Jupiter

Conference (2005, August 07)

The HST Campaign on Jupiter's Aurora during the Cassini Flyby

Conference (2002, June 17)

The Jovian Aurora: Implications of Multiwavelength Auroral Spectra for Auroral Particle Identity and Auroral Microphysics

in Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society (1998, September 01)

Remote sensing of Jupiter's aurora from x-ray to radio wavelengths has revealed much about the nature of the jovian aurora and about the impact of ionosphere-magnetosphere coupling on Jupiter's upper ... [more ▼]

Remote sensing of Jupiter's aurora from x-ray to radio wavelengths has revealed much about the nature of the jovian aurora and about the impact of ionosphere-magnetosphere coupling on Jupiter's upper atmosphere. Both energetic heavy ions and electrons energized in the outer magnetosphere contribute to the auroral excitation, as indicated by the combination of x-ray and ultraviolet observations. Imaging with the HST in the ultraviolet and with the IRTF at infrared wavelengths reveals several distinct regions of interaction: 1) a dusk sector where turbulent auroral patterns extend well into the polar cap; 2) a morning sector generally characterized by a single spatially confined auroral arc originating in the outer magnetosphere of Jupiter; 3) diffuse emissions associated with the Io plasma torus; and 4) a distinct region associated with the Io Flux Tube footprint. Ultraviolet spectroscopy has provided important information about the thermal structure of the upper atmosphere and altitude distribution of the auroral particle energy deposition, while Lyman alpha line profiles offer clues to the nature of thermospheric dynamical effects. Galileo observations at visible wavelengths on the nightside have provided a new view of the jovian aurora with unprecedented spatial information. Infrared observations have added much to the understanding of thermal structure and morphology and may hold the key to understanding the role of Joule heating. Radio observations imply that energetic particle precipitation extends to low latitudes, a result that has been corroborated at x-ray wavelengths. Multispectral observations of jovian auroral emissions will be discussed within a theoretical/modeling framework that serves to provide some insight into magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling and its effect on the upper atmosphere. Particular emphasis will be placed on the use of auroral spectra to identify incident energetic particles and their energy spectra as a means of elucidating the microphysics of auroral processes. [less ▲]

HST Observations of Jupiter's Aurora Simultaneous with GALILEO Measurements

in Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society (1997, July 01)

An HST observing program is underway to obtain images and spectra of Jupiter's ultraviolet aurora during key events in the GALILEO orbiter mission, including remote observations of the nightside aurora ... [more ▼]

An HST observing program is underway to obtain images and spectra of Jupiter's ultraviolet aurora during key events in the GALILEO orbiter mission, including remote observations of the nightside aurora and measurements of the magnetic field and charged particle environments. We have obtained WFPC 2 images and GHRS spectra of Jupiter's aurora overlapping with GALILEO measurements during GALILEO orbits G1 (June 1996), G2 (Sept. 1996), G7 (April 1997), and G8 (May 1997), and at the time of writing we are scheduling STIS spectra for summer 1997. The WFPC 2 images appear similar to earlier reported auroral images, with the main oval at the same location observed over the last 2 years, rapidly variable emission poleward of the main oval, and the Io footprint with a similar longitudinal offset from the local magnetic field. Spectra were obtained of auroral emission features including the northern and southern main ovals, the diffuse emission poleward of the main oval, and the northern and southern Io footprints. These spectra will be presented with estimates of the overlying hydrocarbon columns, the energy of the exciting electrons, the rotational temperature of the emitting hydrogen, and the overlying column of atomic hydrogen. This work was supported by NASA under contract JPL 959122 and grants GO-5828.01-94A and GO-6743.01-95A to the University of Michigan. [less ▲]