Juno-UVS approach observations of Jupiter's auroras

Area of Science:

• Planetary Science
• Space Physics
• Auroral Studies

Background:

• Jupiter's aurora is influenced by solar wind conditions.
• Juno's approach to Jupiter offered a unique chance to study this relationship.
• Previous studies suggested a link between solar wind and Jovian auroral emissions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between solar wind conditions and Jupiter's auroral emissions.
• To analyze auroral brightening events observed by Juno's Ultraviolet Spectrograph (UVS).
• To compare in situ solar wind data with Jovian auroral observations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Juno's Ultraviolet Spectrograph (UVS) for auroral observations.
• Collected in situ solar wind data during Juno's approach.
• Compared Juno-UVS data with Earth-based Jupiter observations and solar wind measurements.
• Analyzed four major auroral brightening events.

Main Results:

• Four significant auroral brightening events were identified.
• Only one event strongly correlated with increased solar wind ram pressure.
• Auroral brightenings not linked to solar wind showed distinct rise and decay times (~2h and ~5h).
• Juno-UVS data revealed fluctuations in Jovian auroral power.

Conclusions:

• Jupiter's auroral emissions are not solely driven by solar wind pressure.
• Internal Jovian processes may also significantly influence auroral activity.
• Further research is needed to understand the drivers of auroral brightenings.
• Juno's mission provides valuable data for studying magnetospheric dynamics.