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Jupiter's ionosphere: Results from the First Galileo Radio Occultation Experiment
Author(s) -
Hinson D. P.,
Flasar F. M.,
Kliore A. J.,
Schinder P. J.,
Twicken J. D.,
Herrera R. G.
Publication year - 1997
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 - 10.1029/97gl01608
Subject(s) - radio occultation , ionosphere , jupiter (rocket family) , occultation , altitude (triangle) , geology , galileo (satellite navigation) , electron density , geodesy , atmospheric sciences , atmosphere of jupiter , physics , astronomy , geophysics , spacecraft , planet , jovian , electron , saturn , geometry , mathematics , quantum mechanics
The Galileo spacecraft passed behind Jupiter on December 8, 1995, allowing the first radio occultation measurements of its ionospheric structure in 16 years. At ingress (24°S, 68°W), the principal peak of electron density is located at an altitude of 900 km above the 1‐bar pressure level, with a peak density of 10 5 cm −3 and a thickness of ∼200 km. At egress (43°S, 28°W), the main peak is centered near 2000 km altitude, with a peak density of 2×10 4 cm −3 and a thickness of ∼1000 km. Two thin layers, possibly forced by upwardly propagating gravity waves, appear at lower altitudes in the ingress profile. This is the first in a two‐year series of observations that should help to resolve long‐standing questions about Jupiter's ionosphere.