Electron bombardment of Europa

Details Electron bombardment of Europa Electron bombardment of Europa

Feb 2001

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2001georl..28..673p&link_type=abstract

Geophysical Research Letters, Volume 28, Issue 4, p. 673-676

Physics

36

Planetology: Fluid Planets: Magnetospheres, Planetology: Solar System Objects: Jovian Satellites

Scientific paper

Energetic electrons trapped in Jupiter's magnetic field are a principal source of energy for driving chemistry on the surface of Europa. Here we show that energetic (10 keV-10 MeV) electrons precipitate primarily on the trailing hemisphere, and we give the spatial distribution of the dose-rate deposited in Europa's surface. Based on this we propose that energetic electrons are a primary agent in determining the hemispherical differences in Europa's albedo, which have been attributed to differences in the incident ion flux. We compare the spatial distribution in the dose-rate deposited by the energetic electrons to the spatial distribution in the hydrate (likely frozen, hydrated sulfuric acid) determined by Galileo's near-infrared mapping spectrometer. This comparison supports the idea that radiolysis by the energetic electrons contributes significantly to producing the hydrate.

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