The Io Plasma Torus
Volcanoes, Atmospheres, and Volcanoes, Atmospheres, and Magnetospheres, Oh My!Magnetospheres, Oh My!
Dr. Jeff MorgenthalerDr. Jeff Morgenthaler
OutlineOutline• Scientific background
– Galilean satellites– Jovian magnetosphere– Io plasma torus (IPT)
• Observing the IPT• Relating the IPT to other facets of the
Jovian system• Time allowing: other fuzzy blobs I know and
love– Comets– The heliosphere
Scientific background: Galilean Scientific background: Galilean SatellitesSatellites
• Jupiter is one of the “original” 5 planets – Planet is Greek for “wanderer”– Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn
• First telescopic observation by Galileo in 1610– Showed mini Copernican system– Four satellites
Images: Universe, Kaufmann & Freedman
Image source: NASA/JPL
Io Europa
Ganymede Callisto
Galilean Galilean Satellite Satellite Family Family PortraitPortrait
Image source: NASA/JPL
Tidal heating of IoTidal heating of Io
Prometheus
Pillan Patera
APOD 2007 February 11, Galileo data from 1997 June 28
Io is the most volcanic body in Io is the most volcanic body in the solar systemthe solar system
Scientific background: Jovian Scientific background: Jovian MagnetosphereMagnetosphere
• Magnetic field: approximated by offset, tilted dipole
Source
Scientific background: Jovian Scientific background: Jovian MagnetosphereMagnetosphere
• Magnetosphere: where a planet’s magnetic field has more influence than the solar wind on plasma
• ~50 Rj upwind, ~100 Rj downwind
NASA/JPL
Observing the Io Plasma TorusObserving the Io Plasma Torus
N.M. Schneider and J.T. Trauger (1995)
Neutral density filter
Narrow-band filter (e.g. S II])
Observing the Io Plasma Torus: Observing the Io Plasma Torus: McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope DataMcMath-Pierce Solar Telescope Data
McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope Io Torus ImagerIo Torus Imager
CCD
Neutral density filter
Narrow-band filter
Guider
McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope Facility (works at night too)
Relating the IPT to other facets Relating the IPT to other facets of the Jovian systemof the Jovian system
Jovian System – Io Plasma Torus
STIS observations of Io
Example spectrum: 2002 Jan 26
Io [OI] line
Io Plasma Torus SummaryIo Plasma Torus Summary
• Torus imager for portable telescopes has been successfully deployed (Nozawa et al. 2004)
• Need to verify sky is dark enough above Holland, MI
N.M. Schneider and J.T. Trauger (1995)
Comet BasicsComet Basics
Anatomy of a comet
Ion Tail
Dust Tail
Head
Sun(106 km)
Dust (1 m)
Studying comets: remote sensingStudying comets: remote sensing
CN coma:
X-ray emission from comets and X-ray emission from comets and the solar systemthe solar system
• Solar wind• Heliosphere• Local interstellar
medium
(solar wind ion)
(cometary or interplanetary hydrogen)
Diffuse X-ray SpectrometerDiffuse X-ray Spectrometer
What used to be thought of as interstellar X-ray emission may be entirely heliospheric
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