Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Sep 1998
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1998dps....30.5316h&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #30, #53.P16; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 30, p.1119
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
About 47 hours of Voyager 1 ultraviolet spectrometer (UVS) observations of the Io plasma torus are analyzed to determine the distribution of ion and electron density and electron temperature (T_e) as functions of (1) radius, (2) system III longitude (lambda_ {III}), (3) Jovian local solar time, and (4) azimuth relative to Io. The uncertainty of these angular determinations is about +/-45(deg) . We find a radial T_e profile substantially the same as determined by in situ observations by the Voyager 1 plasma science investigation. We find that the n_e profile has a very broad peak extending from lambda_ {III}=90 to 180(deg) , which includes the portion of the torus most closely approached by its mass source Io. The T_e profile peaks around lambda_ {III}=300(deg) . The Jovian surface magnetic field reaches its lowest magnitude on the Io footprints near these longitudes, suggesting that torus electron heating might be associated with Birkeland currents connecting the torus with the Jovian ionosphere. Regarding local solar time, we find that the T_e profile is highest near noon, while the n_e profile peaks around dusk. The latter result agrees with the fact that torus plasma trajectories converge there, compressing the plasma. The T_e maximum at the region of most rapid compression rate suggests a short cooling time. As for correlations with Io's position, we find the highest Io-frame T_e near Io, while n_e is maximized between 90 and 180(deg) downstream from Io. The location of the T_e maximum also suggests local heating associated with Birkeland currents, while the downstream n_e enhancement indicates mass loading.
Herbert Floyd
Sandel Bill
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