Io's sodium directional features - Evidence for a magnetospheric-wind-driven gas escape mechanism

Details Io's sodium directional features - Evidence for a magnetospheric-wind-driven gas escape mechanism Io's sodium directional features - Evidence for a magnetospheric-wind-driven gas escape mechanism

Dec 1984

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1984apj...287..427p&link_type=abstract

Astrophysical Journal, Part 1 (ISSN 0004-637X), vol. 287, Dec. 1, 1984, p. 427-444. NSF-supported research.

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

32

D Lines, Io, Planetary Magnetic Fields, Sodium, Earth Magnetosphere, Photographic Plates, Satellite Atmospheres, Spatial Distribution, Wind Effects

Scientific paper

Elongated features in Io's sodium cloud, directed away from Jupiter and inclined both to the north and to the south of the satellite's orbital plane, have been observed. The north/south directions of the features are correlated with Io's magnetic longitude, suggesting a formation mechanism involving the oscillating plasma torus. It is shown by means of a model analysis that the features can result from a source of high-velocity (about 20 km/s) sodium combined with the oscillating neutral sodium sink provided by the plasma. The phase relationship between the features' directions and Io's magnetic longitude can be understood if escaping sodium is initially directed at near right angles to Io's orbital motion. The directionality of the features requires that the sodium flux from equatorial regions be higher than that from the poles. The initial directions and speeds of sodium atoms escaping Io to form the directional features can be understood in terms of a magnetospheric-wind-driven escape mechanism. The one sequence of directional feature observations that has been analyzed in detail implies a high-speed sodium source rate of about 10 to the 26th atoms/s.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Io's sodium directional features - Evidence for a magnetospheric-wind-driven gas escape mechanism does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Io's sodium directional features - Evidence for a magnetospheric-wind-driven gas escape mechanism, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Io's sodium directional features - Evidence for a magnetospheric-wind-driven gas escape mechanism will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-734349