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Europa's FUV auroral tail on Jupiter
Author(s) -
Grodent D.,
Gérard J.C.,
Gustin J.,
Mauk B. H.,
Connerney J. E. P.,
Clarke J. T.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2005gl025487
Subject(s) - jovian , physics , jupiter (rocket family) , astrophysics , ionosphere , brightness , magnetosphere , plume , astronomy , geophysics , plasma , planet , saturn , spacecraft , meteorology , quantum mechanics
Ultraviolet images of Jupiter's northern aurora obtained in 2005 confirm the existence of an electromagnetic interaction between Europa and the Jovian ionosphere. The auroral signature shows a two‐component structure: a quasi‐circular Europa spot, followed by a previously undetected faint tail emission trailing in the direction of corotation flow. The characteristic brightness for the auroral spot is ∼14 ± 1 kR above background, and approximately 7 ± 1 kR for the tail. The spot's size is ∼1100 km, magnetically mapping to an interaction region ≤15 Europa diameters. The auroral tail extends over ∼5000 km, which maps along a region of at least 70 Europa diameters. The ultraviolet power emitted by both components varies from a fraction to several GW. The present study suggests auroral interaction at Europa similar to that at Io, but scaled‐down by an order of magnitude, including a sub‐corotating plasma plume in the geometrical wake of Europa.