Ultraviolet emissions from the magnetic footprints of Io, Ganymede and Europa on Jupiter

Details Ultraviolet emissions from the magnetic footprints of Io, Ganymede and Europa on Jupiter Ultraviolet emissions from the magnetic footprints of Io, Ganymede and Europa on Jupiter

Feb 2002

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2002natur.415..997c&link_type=abstract

Nature, Volume 415, Issue 6875, pp. 997-1000 (2002).

Other

73

Scientific paper

Io leaves a magnetic footprint on Jupiter's upper atmosphere that appears as a spot of ultraviolet emission that remains fixed underneath Io as Jupiter rotates. The specific physical mechanisms responsible for generating those emissions are not well understood, but in general the spot seems to arise because of an electromagnetic interaction between Jupiter's magnetic field and the plasma surrounding Io, driving currents of around 1 million amperes down through Jupiter's ionosphere. The other galilean satellites may also leave footprints, and the presence or absence of such footprints should illuminate the underlying physical mechanism by revealing the strengths of the currents linking the satellites to Jupiter. Here we report persistent, faint, far-ultraviolet emission from the jovian footprints of Ganymede and Europa. We also show that Io's magnetic footprint extends well beyond the immediate vicinity of Io's flux-tube interaction with Jupiter, and much farther than predicted theoretically; the emission persists for several hours downstream. We infer from these data that Ganymede and Europa have persistent interactions with Jupiter's magnetic field despite their thin atmospheres.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Ultraviolet emissions from the magnetic footprints of Io, Ganymede and Europa on Jupiter 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 Ultraviolet emissions from the magnetic footprints of Io, Ganymede and Europa on Jupiter, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Ultraviolet emissions from the magnetic footprints of Io, Ganymede and Europa on Jupiter will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1113442