Mapping the Velocity Distribution of Neutral Sodium Near Io
Abstract
We report on two dimensional velocity maps of neutral sodium near Io obtained on 20 November, 1999, using the National Solar Observatory McMath-Pierce stellar spectrograph. The stellar spectrograph was utilized in high spectral resolution (R = 150,000) mode with a 10x10 element image slicer array with arc second spatial resolution. The sodium emission was uncommonly bright on this night, which, combined with excellent seeing conditions, allowed a rare opportunity for us to generate images of the distinctly different velocity populations of sodium for that night. We observed the changes in these populations over a period of about three hours following emergence of Io from eclipse by Jupiter. We will present line profiles and imaging from this night that show several distinct velocity resolved populations at different locations near Io, and discuss the mechanisms that may give rise to them. These observations were part of our continuing observations of the increases observed in sodium emissions following emergence of Io from eclipse, and we will summarize the current status of these observations. This work was supported by the NASA Planetary Astronomy Program and the National Solar Observatory, Tucson, Arizona.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2004
- Bibcode:
- 2004AGUFM.P31A0971C
- Keywords:
-
- 6218 Jovian satellites;
- 2720 Energetic particles;
- trapped;
- 2756 Planetary magnetospheres (5443;
- 5737;
- 6030);
- 0343 Planetary atmospheres (5405;
- 5407;
- 5409;
- 5704;
- 5705;
- 5707)