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Jupiter's nightside airglow and aurora
G Randall Gladstone1, S Alan Stern, David C Slater
1Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78238, USA. rgladstone@swri.edu
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|October 13, 2007
Summary
New Horizons data reveal a surprising lack of ultraviolet nightglow on Jupiter, unlike Voyager observations. Jupiter
Area of Science:
- Planetary Science
- Aeronomy
- Magnetospheric Physics
Background:
- Jupiter's nightside atmosphere exhibits auroral and airglow emissions.
- Previous observations by Voyager spacecraft in 1979 documented ultraviolet nightglow.
- The near-space environment and upper atmosphere interactions are complex.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate Jupiter's nightside airglow and aurora using New Horizons data.
- To compare current observations with historical data from the Voyager missions.
- To understand the variability and mechanisms driving Jupiter's atmospheric emissions.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of ultraviolet and visible emissions data from the New Horizons flyby.
- Correlation of emission patterns with precipitating electron flux and energy.
- Spatial mapping of emissions across Jupiter's nightside.
Main Results:
- An unexpected absence of ultraviolet nightglow emissions was observed.
- Precipitating electron flux and energy decrease with local time on the nightside.
- Visible emissions from Io-Jupiter interactions extend to high altitudes, suggesting low-energy electron precipitation.
Conclusions:
- Jupiter's nightside atmospheric emissions are highly variable and not fully understood.
- The dusk flank of Jupiter's magnetosphere is a potential source region for precipitating electrons.
- Day side observations do not reliably predict night side phenomena.
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