Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2003
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2003agufm.p51b0448j&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2003, abstract #P51B-0448
Physics
5405 Atmospheres: Composition And Chemistry, 5464 Remote Sensing, 5480 Volcanism (8450)
Scientific paper
The Pele plume is one of the largest and most dynamic of the plumes on Io. Various observations have been made to characterize the composition and eruptive behavior of this plume. Within the last ˜ 15 years the column density of sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas within the plume has been derived using both spectral and imaging observations. Elemental sulfur (S2), which has long been suspected to be a major constituent of the Pele plume based on the color of its deposits, has only recently been positively identified within the plume. And, the current SO/SO2 ratio accepted for the Pele plume is based on high signal-to-noise (S/N) spatially resolved spectra taken three years prior to the S2 detection. These results have been useful as a probe of magma chemistry and vent conditions. However, because the Pele plume has long been known to be variable in its eruptive behavior, observational constraint of each of the possible plume constituents based on a single observation would greatly decrease the uncertainty in the modeling of Pele's eruption chemistry and magma state. For this reason, in February and March 2003 we obtained spectra of Pele with Hubble's Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) in transit of Jupiter, using the 0.1 arcsec slit, for the wavelength region extending from 2100-3100 A. Because these data were obtained in four visits of 1020s each, an integration time that is four times longer than that used in the initial S2 detection, the higher S/N may be sufficient to allow reliable estimates of the SO2, S2, and SO gas abundances to be made independent of uncertainties with respect to temporal variability of the plume for the first time. We present preliminary analysis of these data reporting the SO2, S2, and SO abundances of the Pele plume. We also obtained UV and visible-wavelength images of the plume in reflected sunlight with the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) prior to Jupiter transit, in order to constrain plume dust abundance. We will give a brief overview of the variability of the plume as a function of time during the ˜ 1 month period spanned by the observations, in both reflected and transmitted light.
Ballester Gilda
Jessup Kandis
Spencer J. J.
Yelle Roger
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