Jupiter Science Enabled by ESA's Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer.

Area of Science:

• Planetary Science
• Space Exploration
• Atmospheric Physics

Background:

• ESA's Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) mission builds on decades of Jupiter exploration by missions like Galileo, Cassini, and Juno.
• Previous observations from ground- and space-based observatories have provided foundational data on Jupiter's system.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a detailed investigation of Jupiter's atmosphere, auroras, and magnetosphere.
• To explore the coupling processes between Jupiter's atmosphere, interior, and magnetosphere.
• To characterize the climate, meteorology, and chemistry of Jupiter's atmosphere across various layers.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing a state-of-the-art remote sensing payload, including UV, visible, near-infrared, and sub-millimeter spectroscopy.
• Employing an extensive orbital tour for global observation at all phase angles and varying altitudes.
• Conducting radio, stellar, and solar occultation measurements for high-resolution atmospheric profiling.
• Measuring radio and plasma waves to study electric discharges and auroral phenomena.

Main Results:

• The mission will enable global perspectives of Jupiter's atmosphere and auroras, capturing phenomena on diverse timescales.
• JUICE's instruments will provide detailed atmospheric composition and structure data from the cloud-forming layer to the ionosphere.
• The mission is poised to reveal connections between atmospheric processes, the planet's interior, and the magnetosphere.

Conclusions:

• JUICE will offer a comprehensive characterization of Jupiter's atmosphere and auroras, advancing our understanding of giant planets.
• The mission's findings will enhance knowledge of atmospheric dynamics, chemistry, and energy transfer in Jovian systems.
• JUICE's interdisciplinary approach will illuminate the interconnectedness of planetary systems.