A possible detection of Jupiter's northern auroral S 1(1) H 2 quadrupole line emission
Abstract
We measured an upper limit to the mean intensity over an 8-arcsec 2 illuminated beam for the S 1(1) H 2 quadrupole emission near Jupiter's northern auroral UV/thermal "hot spot" at λIII(1985) = 180°. This is 4.2 × 10 -6 W m -2sr -1. Using higher resolution spectra, we observed a weak emission feature at the wavelength of this line with an intensity of (4.1 ± 1.1) × 10 -7 W m -2 sr -1 near λIII(1965) = 245°. These intensities are lower than those predicted by Kim and Maguire (1986), suggesting that species, such as atomic hydrogen in the aurora, may be playing a greater role in the collisional deexcitation of H 2 than supposed.
- Publication:
-
Icarus
- Pub Date:
- May 1988
- DOI:
- 10.1016/0019-1035(88)90047-4
- Bibcode:
- 1988Icar...74..351T
- Keywords:
-
- Auroral Zones;
- Emission Spectra;
- Far Infrared Radiation;
- Jupiter Red Spot;
- Ultraviolet Radiation;
- H Alpha Line;
- High Energy Electrons;
- Upper Atmosphere;
- JUPITER;
- AURORAS;
- EMISSIONS;
- INTENSITY;
- SPECTRA;
- WAVELENGTHS;
- FLUX;
- EARTH-BASED OBSERVATIONS;
- EQUIPMENT;
- HYDROGEN;
- PARAMETERS