Detecting the Hydroxyl Radical in the Jovian Magnetosphere

Details Detecting the Hydroxyl Radical in the Jovian Magnetosphere Detecting the Hydroxyl Radical in the Jovian Magnetosphere

Publishing date

Jul 1994

URL

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1994hst..prop.5385s&link_type=abstract

Journals

HST Proposal ID #5385

Science

Mathematics

Field

Probability

Additional info 3

Hst Proposal Id #5385 Solar System Giant Planets

Type

Scientific paper

Abstract

We propose to observe the Jupiter magnetosphere to determine the presence and abundance of the hydroxyl radical(OH). OH has been seen in the region of the icy moons of Saturn by the HST/FOS instrument (GO3644-Cycle 2, August, 1992). The observed abundance implied a source rate 20 times higher than predicted on the basis of ion surface sputtering of H_2O. Plasma content at the orbit of Europa is greater than at Saturn. Sputtering source rates of 3x10^26 mol/s are predicted, or about 1/6 to 1/3 the rate inferred at Saturn's icy satellites. OH may contribute a substantial fraction of OII to the outward moving Io torus plasma. Our physical chemistry model predicts that for a 40% contribution to local plasma density, the Europan sourced OH number density may approach an average of 3 cm^-3. Assuming a path length of 10 R_j, with an OH emission probability of 2.3x10^-5 s^-1 in the OH A-X (0,0) band near 3085 Angstroms the intensity is 5 Rayleighs. This should be observable by the HST/FOS. If the high source rate of OH at Saturn is driven by micrometeoritic gardening of the satellite surfaces, then the same process may be active at Europa, producing a commensurately higher signal. Direct estimates of OH densities along with physical chemistry modeling will provide definitive constraints on possible surface erosion rates of Europa's surface.

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