Energetic neutral atom images of Jupiter's magnetosphere: composition and time variability

Physics

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5719 Interactions With Particles And Fields, 5780 Tori And Exospheres, 6218 Jovian Satellites, 6220 Jupiter

Scientific paper

During the Cassini flyby of Jupiter in late 2000/early 2001, the first ever images of Jupiter's magnetosphere in energetic neutral atom (ENA) flux were obtained. ENAs are typically created when singly-charged energetic ions undergo charge exchange with ambient neutral gas. Since little energy is lost in these collisions, neutrals leave the system along high speed, straight-line trajectories. The Cassini Magnetospheric Imaging Instrument's (MIMI) Ion and Neutral Camera (INCA) detected the fluxes of several to several hundred keV/nucleon ENAs for months leading up to closest approach on December 30, 2000 and for a few days past (after which the viewing geometry was unfavorable). The primary source of Jovian ENAs is the interaction of mirroring ions with the planet's exosphere, in a thin layer just above the denser atmosphere. A significant secondary contribution comes from the tori of neutral gas collocated with the orbits of Io and Europa (see, Mauk et al 2003). We will present the flux of ENAs detected as a function of composition and energy. Furthermore, we have calculated the ENA flux, in several energy bands, for spacecraft distances between about 150 to1000 Jovian radii. We have determined that to lowest order the emission signal is fairly constant, however there is evidence of time variability in the data. We will discuss the implications of composition and time variation for magnetospheric processes. Mauk, B. H., D. G. Mitchell, S. M. Krimigis, E. C. Roelof, and C. P. Paranicas, Energetic neutral atoms from a trans-Europa gas torus at Jupiter, Nature, 421, 920, 2003.

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