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Observation of auroral secondary electrons in the Jovian magnetosphere
Author(s) -
McNutt Ralph L.,
Bagenal Fran,
Thome Richard M.
Publication year - 1990
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/gl017i003p00291
Subject(s) - jovian , magnetosphere , electron , physics , electron precipitation , torus , plasma , atmosphere of jupiter , flux (metallurgy) , van allen radiation belt , atomic physics , astrophysics , jupiter (rocket family) , astronomy , saturn , nuclear physics , planet , materials science , geometry , mathematics , space shuttle , metallurgy
Localized enhancements in the flux of suprathermal electrons were observed by the Voyager 1 Plasma Science instrument near the outer boundary of the Io plasma torus between L ∼7.5 and L ∼10. This localization, which occurs within the general region of hot electrons noted by Sittler and Strobel (1987), and the spectral characteristics of the observed electrons are consistent with secondary (backscattered) electron production by intense Jovian auroral energetic particle precipitation and support the hypothesis that such electrons may contribute to the processes that heat the plasma in this region of the magnetosphere.