The atmosphere of Io from Pioneer 10 radio occultation measurements

Details The atmosphere of Io from Pioneer 10 radio occultation measurements The atmosphere of Io from Pioneer 10 radio occultation measurements

Apr 1975

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1975icar...24..407k&link_type=abstract

(International Astronomical Union, Colloquium on Planetary Satellites, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., Aug. 18-21, 1974.) Icar

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

36

Io, Pioneer 10 Space Probe, Planetary Atmospheres, Radio Occultation, Atmospheric Density, Atmospheric Pressure, Atmospheric Temperature, Plasma Temperature, Upper Ionosphere

Scientific paper

The occultation of the Pioneer 10 spacecraft by Io (JI) provided an opportunity to obtain two S-band radio occultation measurements of its atmosphere. The day-side entry measurements revealed an ionosphere having a peak density of about 60,000 el/cu cm at an altitude of about 100 km. The topside scale height indicates a plasma temperature of about 406 K if it is composed of Na(+) and 495 K if N2(+) is principal ion. A thinner and less dense ionosphere was observed on the exit (night side), having a peak density of 9,000 el/cu cm at an altitude of 50 km. The topside plasma temperature is 160 K for N2(-) and 131 K for Na(+). If the ionosphere is produced by photoionization in a manner analogous to the ionospheres of the terrestrial planets, the density of neutral particles at the surface of Io is less than 10 to 1 trillion per cu cm, corresponding to a surface pressure of less than 10 to 1 nanobars.

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