Temperatures of the Jovian auroral zone inferred from 2-micron H2 quadrupole line observations

Journal Article · Thu Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1990 · Icarus (International Journal of the Solar System); (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0019-1035(90)90157-5· OSTI ID:7040607

Kim, S; Drossart, P; Caldwell, J; Maillard, J ^[1]

---

1. Maryland Univ., College Park (USA) Paris Observatoire, Meudon (France) York Univ., North York (Canada) CNRS, Institut d'Astrophysique, Paris (France)

On the basis of the observed intensities of the S1(0), S1(1), and S1(2) 2-micron H2 quadrupole lines in the southern auroral zone of Jupiter, a rotational temperature of 730 (+ 490/-200) K in the 0.01-1.0 microbar range is derived which is judged to represent the local neutral kinetic temperature. Although the dominance of nonthermal emission is indicated for these lines by the factor-of-500 predominance of the H2(nu = 1) auroral zone population over the normal Boltzmann population, a calculation of both thermal and nonthermal intensities of the pure H2 rotational quadrupole lines yields the opposite results in the greater-than-5 micron wavelength region. 21 refs.

• OSTI ID: 7040607
• Journal Information: Icarus (International Journal of the Solar System); (USA), Vol. 84; ISSN 0019-1035
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
AURORAL ZONES
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT
JUPITER PLANET
HYDROGEN
INFRARED RADIATION
PLANETARY ATMOSPHERES
ATMOSPHERES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
NONMETALS
PLANETS
RADIATIONS
640107* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Planetary Phenomena