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Title: Pioneer 11 observations of trapped particle absorption by the Jovian ring and the satellites 1979, J1, J2, and J3

Journal Article · · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

Pioneer 10 and 11, during their encounters with Jupiter in 1973 and 1974, penetrated to L values of 2.8 and 1.7, respectively. During these encounters, at several L values, decreases in the intensity of energetic trapped particles were observed, some of which could be explained as due to absorption by the known moons Io and Amalthea; however, some decreases inside L = 4 could not be explained. The recent Voyager 1 and 2 optical discoveries of several new moons and a ring in this region has led us to reexamine our particle data, and we summarize results in this report. We report observations in three channels: protons 0.5--8.7 MeV; electrons >3.4 MeV; and medium-Z nuclei, probably oxygen and sulfur >70 MeV/nucleon. We find that with the additional moons and the ring, all observed intensity features in the stably trapped radiation are accounted for by satellite and ring absorption.

Research Organization:
Enrico Fermi Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
OSTI ID:
6079783
Journal Information:
J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Vol. 88:A1
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English