Chandra HRC Observations of X-rays from Jupiter's Aurora
G. R. Gladstone, T. Majeed, W. S. Lewis, J.-M. Jahn (SwRI), J. H. Waite, Jr., D. C. Grodent, F. J. Crary, J. T. Clarke, D. T. Young (Univ. Michigan), R. F. Elsner, M. C. Weisskopf (NASA/MSFC), A. Bhardwaj (VSSC, Trivandrum), M. K. Dougherty (Imperial College, London)
[Contributed talk, 15min.]
Abstract
In support of the Cassini flyby of Jupiter, the Chandra HRC was used to
observe the Jovian system for 10 hours on December 18, 2000, from 10-20 UT.
Analysis of the data has yielded the following results:
1) a strong, high-latitude northern auroral ``hot spot,'' which is relatively
fixed near 60-70
north latitude and 160-180
system III
longitude, and which pulsates with a period of about 40 minutes and has an
average emitted power of about 2 GW; 2) relatively uniform low-latitude
emissions, with a total power output of about 5 GW; 3) a southern aurora
which shows both high-latitude emissions and lower-latitude emissions
originating in the L=8-12 region just outside the Io Plasma Torus, with
an emitted power of about 1 GW.
These power estimates are based on an assumed emission wavelength
of 574 eV (corresponding to a bright emission line of OVII ions), and are
subject to revision as Chandra ACIS spectra of Jupiter are analyzed further.
We will present these and other results from this unique data set.
CATEGORY: SOLAR SYSTEM AND MISC