Computer Science
Scientific paper
Sep 2008
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008epsc.conf..227d&link_type=abstract
European Planetary Science Congress 2008, Proceedings of the conference held 21-25 September, 2008 in Münster, Germany. Online a
Computer Science
Scientific paper
Jupiter is a strong source of radio emissions, as discovered in the early 1950s (Burke and Franklin, 1955). These first detections revealed emissions that were sporadic in character, and confined to frequencies less than 40 MHz. This component of the planet's radio emission is commonly referred to as decametric (DAM) radiation, and is attributed to electron cyclotron maser emission, emitted by keV electrons in Jupiter's auroral regions. All four giant planets and the Earth emit such radiation. To date these emissions have been studied in the timefrequency domain, since it has not been possible to image at these low frequencies. A new Low Frequency Array, LOFAR, is momentarily being build in the Netherlands. It consists of a low (~30-80 MHz) and high (~120-240 MHz) frequency band, with baselines between 100 m up to 100 km. By connecting (VLBI) with the Nancay radio telescope, baselines of 700 km can be achieved. This telescope complements the VLA (Very large Array) and ATA (Allen Telescope Array) in frequency coverage, and using the combined arrays (quasi)- simultaneously, Jupiter's radiation environment can be mapped from about 20 MHz (the low LOFAR band is still sensitive below 30 MHz, but with reduced through-put) up to 20 GHz. Jupiter emits both synchrotron and coherent cyclotron radiation at low frequencies (e.g., de Pater 2004; Zarka, 2004). Synchrotron radiation is emitted by relativistic electrons (MeV) trapped in Jupiter's radiation belts; this component of the emission has been imaged regularly at higher (> 300 MHz) frequencies. Simultaneous high resolution imaging at low frequencies will help identify the origin and mode of transport of the synchrotron radiating electrons, including their source and loss terms. At frequencies below 40 MHz LOFAR could, for the first time ever, image Jupiter's decametric (DAM) emissions. These emissions have been observed since the early 1950's, and are characterized by complex, highly organized structures in the frequency-time domain, with typical timescales varying from milliseconds to hours. The emission originates near the auroral regions, and an Io-dependent component is thought to be emitted at the foot points of the Io flux tube. High angular resolution imaging with LOFAR at msec time and kHz frequency resolution would enable mapping both the non-Io and Io related emission components.
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