The satellite auroral footprints at Jupiter: A Juno perspective
Abstract
Jupiter's satellite auroral footprints are a consequence of the interaction between the co-rotating iogenic plasma and the Galilean moons. Since the disturbance caused by the presence of the moons in the plasma flow propagates along the field files in the form of Alfvén waves, the physical positions of the moons are magnetically connected to their respective footprint. The accurate determination of the footprint positions therefore provides an important physical reference point in Jupiter's auroral regions with respect to where they map in the magnetosphere. Over a decade of auroral footprint observations with the Hubble Space Telescope provided a first view of the footprint paths of Io, Europa and Ganymede, though with limited coverage in a range a SIII longitudes. More specifically, HST observations did not cover the 270˚-90˚ (north) and 140˚-290˚ (south) longitude range for the Ganymede and Europa footprints, and only provided a sparse coverage of the Io footprint there. Juno's polar and elliptical orbit around Jupiter now provides the opportunity to complete the picture and we present the work revising the satellite footpath contours for Io, Europa and Ganymede recorded during Juno's prime mission.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2022
- Bibcode:
- 2022AGUFMSM55B1455H