A pulsating auroral X-ray hot spot on Jupiter

Gladstone, G. R.; Waite, J. H.; Grodent, Denis; Lewis, W. S.; Crary, F. J.; Elsner, Ronald F.; Weisskopf, M. C.; Majeed, T.; Jahn, J. M.; Bhardwaj, Anil; Clarke, J. T.; Young, D. T.; Dougherty, M. K.; Espinosa, S. A.; Cravens, T. E.

doi:10.1038/4151000a

Cited by 202 publications

(301 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Elemental abundances for the coronal model were set at the solar level; the width of the emission line was kept fixed, and taken to be due only to instrumental broadening. This model combination provides good fits to the EPIC-pn spectra from the XMM-Newton observations in 2002 andApr. 2005, and also to the Chandra ACIS spectra for Saturn and its rings combined, from the 2003 and 2004 observations.…”

Section: Spectral Fitting: Xmm-newton Epic and Chandra Acis Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For planets with a significant magnetic field, namely Jupiter and the Earth, the X-ray emission has been found to separate essentially into two components: a high-latitude auroral one, and a low-latitude disk component, which has different spectral properties, relating it to solar X-rays (Maurellis et al 2000;Gladstone et al 2002;Branduardi-Raymont et al 2004;Bhardwaj et al 2005c;Elsner et al 2005;Branduardi-Raymont et al 2007a,b;Bhardwaj et al 2007). Naively we would expect to observe a similar dichotomy on Saturn, given the strength of its magnetic field and its fast rotation (as for Jupiter) and its powerful UV aurorae (Gérard et al 2004(Gérard et al , 2005, but this is not the case.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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X-rays from Saturn: a study withXMM-NewtonandChandraover the years 2002–05

Branduardi‐Raymont¹,

Bhardwaj²,

Elsner³

et al. 2010

A&A

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Aims. We approach the study of Saturn and its environment in a novel way using X-ray data, by making a systematic and uniform spectral analysis of all the X-ray observations of the planet to date. Methods. We present the results of the two most recent (2005) XMM-Newton observations of Saturn together with the re-analysis of an earlier (2002) observation from the XMM-Newton archive and of three Chandra observations in 2003 and 2004. While the XMM-Newton telescope resolution does not enable us to resolve spatially the contributions of the planet's disk and rings to the X-ray flux, we can estimate their strengths and their evolution over the years from spectral analysis, and compare them with those observed with Chandra. Results. The spectrum of the X-ray emission is well fitted by an optically thin coronal model with an average temperature of 0.5 keV. The addition of a fluorescent oxygen emission line at ∼0.53 keV improves the fits significantly. In accordance with earlier reports, we interpret the coronal component as emission from the planetary disk, produced by the scattering of solar X-rays in Saturn's upper atmosphere, and the line as originating from the Saturnian rings. The strength of the disk X-ray emission is seen to decrease over the period [2002][2003][2004][2005], following the decay of solar activity towards the current minimum in the solar cycle. By comparing the relative fluxes of the disk X-ray emission and the oxygen line, we suggest that the line strength does not vary over the years in the same fashion as the disk flux. We consider possible alternatives for the origin of the line. The connection between solar activity and the strength of Saturn's disk X-ray emission is investigated and compared with that of Jupiter. We also discuss the apparent lack of X-ray aurorae on Saturn; by comparing the planet's parameters relevant to aurora production with those of Jupiter we conclude that Saturnian X-ray aurorae are likely to have gone undetected because they are below the sensitivity threshold of current Earth-bound observatories. A similar comparison for Uranus and Neptune leads to the same disappointing conclusion, which is likely to hold true also with the planned next generation International X-ray Observatory. The next step in advancing this research can only be realised with in-situ X-ray observations at the planets.

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Section: Spectral Fitting: Xmm-newton Epic and Chandra Acis Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

X-rays from Saturn: a study withXMM-NewtonandChandraover the years 2002–05

Branduardi‐Raymont¹,

Bhardwaj²,

Elsner³

et al. 2010

A&A

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“…Observations by the X-ray satellite Chandra revealed a pulsating northern auroral Xray hot spot on Jupiter, with a pulsation period about 45 minutes (Gladstone et al 2002). The spot location suggests that the origin of the precipitating energetic particles is in the outer magnetosphere, rather than in the inner magnetosphere as previously thought.…”

Section: Philippe Zarkamentioning

confidence: 59%

“…Waite et al (2001) and Pryor et al (2001) have highlighted its amazing variability at UV wavelengths, on time scales of a few tens of seconds, and the incredibly high peak intensity of the emission (tens of kilorayleighs), inconsistent with models of cusp precipitation on Earth. Gladstone et al (2002) report evidence of emission of this spot in X-ray lines of highly ionized O and S ions. This implies that the charged particles have been accelerated to very high energy, by an unknown mechanism, prior to their precipitation.…”

Section: Renee Prangementioning

confidence: 99%

Commission 16: Physical Study of Planets and Satellites: (Etude Physique Des Planetes Et Des Satellites)

Cruikshank¹,

Courtin²,

Belton³

et al. 2002

Trans. Int. Astron. Union

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“…Отражение пучка может привести к его вихревой динамике. КЛЮЧЕВЫЕ СЛОВА: динамика электронного пучка, полярное сияние Юпитера, двойной электрический слой, пучково-плазменная неустойчивость In this paper, the possible dynamics of an electron beam in the vicinity of Jupiter, which leads to polar light of Jupiter [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] and which according to model [11] is accelerated in the Io vicinity, has been investigated. Electron bunches move along a magnetic tube from Io to Jupiter.…”

Section: национальный научный центр «харьковский физико-технический иunclassified

Occurrence of Accelerating Field, Formation and Dynamics of Relativistic Electron Beam Near Jupiter

Maslov

Levchuk

Nikonova

et al. 2018

EEJP

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The possible dynamics of the electron beam, formed in the vicinity of Io, the natural satellite of Jupiter, and injected toward Jupiter, has been investigated analytically. When a beam penetrates the Jupiter plasma to a certain depth, the beam-plasma instability can be developed. In this case, the distribution function of electrons is expanded additionally by excited oscillations. These electrons, when their energy is of order of a required certain value, cause UV polar light. For closing of a current, the formation of a double electric layer is necessary. The necessary parameters and conditions for the formation of a double layer with a large jump of an electric potential at a certain height have been formulated, its properties, stability, behavior over time and beam reflection in its field for closing of a current have been described. возможная динамика электронного пучка, формируемого в окрестности Ио -естественного спутника Юпитера и инжектируемого в сторону Юпитера. При проникновении пучка в плазму Юпитера на определенную глубину может развиться пучково-плазменная неустойчивость. При этом возбуждаемые колебания дополнительно размывают функцию распределения электронов. Эти электроны, если их энергия порядка определенной величины, вызывают УФ полярное сияние. Для замыкания тока необходимо формирование двойного электрического слоя. Сформулированы необходимые параметры и условия формирования на некоторой высоте двойного слоя с большим скачком электрического потенциала, описаны его свойства, устойчивость, поведение во времени и отражение пучка в его поле для замыкания тока. Отражение пучка может привести к его вихревой динамике. КЛЮЧЕВЫЕ СЛОВА: динамика электронного пучка, полярное сияние Юпитера, двойной электрический слой, пучково-плазменная неустойчивость In this paper, the possible dynamics of an electron beam in the vicinity of Jupiter, which leads to polar light of Jupiter [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] and which according to model [11] is accelerated in the Io vicinity, has been investigated. Electron bunches move along a magnetic tube from Io to Jupiter. Since the magnetic field lines of Jupiter meet at its poles, the beam is focused while moving toward Jupiter, and the density of the beam electrons increases. When the beam penetrates into the plasma to a certain depth, the beam-plasma instability (BPI) develops. In this case, the excited

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A pulsating auroral X-ray hot spot on Jupiter

Cited by 202 publications

References 25 publications

X-rays from Saturn: a study withXMM-NewtonandChandraover the years 2002–05

X-rays from Saturn: a study withXMM-NewtonandChandraover the years 2002–05

Commission 16: Physical Study of Planets and Satellites: (Etude Physique Des Planetes Et Des Satellites)

Occurrence of Accelerating Field, Formation and Dynamics of Relativistic Electron Beam Near Jupiter

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