Upper limits for x-ray and energetic neutral particle emission from Jupiter: Voyager-1 results
The x-ray sensitivity of the low energy proton channels in the Low Energy Charged Particle (LECP) experiment and its directional measurements are used to determine whether x-rays from Jupiter can be recognized as additional flux above background as Voyager 1 approached the planet. Between approx.230 and approx.100 R/sub J/ a statistically significant count rate was detected which we interpret as x-rays and/or neutral particles. The upper limit for x-rays, related to earth-based measurements is < or =1.3 x 10/sup -4/ photons/cm/sup 2/ sec keV in the energy range 14 to 31 keV. Such an x-ray flux leads to estimates of precipitating electrons over the Jovian polar caps which are 200 times larger than over observed electron fluxes in the Io plasma torus. The same upper limit corresponds to < or =4 x 10/sup -2/ neutral particles/cm/sup 2/ sec keV at 100 R/sub J/ distance from Jupiter. We favor the neutral hypothesis, and estimate that if represents a loss of < or =10/sup 25/ atoms/sec, i.e. <0.05% of the atoms generated by Io's volcanoes.
- Research Organization:
- Max-Planck Institute for Aeronomy, D-3411 Katlenburg-Lindau 3, West Germany
- OSTI ID:
- 6153131
- Journal Information:
- Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States), Vol. 8:2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
GENERAL PHYSICS
JUPITER PLANET
X RADIATION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
NEUTRAL-PARTICLE TRANSPORT
PLANETARY MAGNETOSPHERES
SATELLITES
VOYAGER SPACE PROBES
ATMOSPHERES
DATA
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
INFORMATION
IONIZING RADIATIONS
NUMERICAL DATA
PLANETARY ATMOSPHERES
PLANETS
RADIATION TRANSPORT
RADIATIONS
SPACE VEHICLES
VEHICLES
640107* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Planetary Phenomena