Auroral signature of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 in the jovian magnetosphere.
The electrodynamic interaction of the dust and gas comae of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 with the jovian magnetosphere was unique and different from the atmospheric effects. Early theoretical predictions of auroral-type processes on the comet magnetic field line and advanced modeling of the time-varying morphology of these lines allowed dedicated observations with the Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 and resulted in the detection of a bright auroral spot. In that respect, this observation of the surface signature of an externally triggered auroral process can be considered as a "magnetospheric active experiment" on Jupiter.
Prangé
R
R
Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale, CNRS-Université Paris XI, Orsay, France.
Engle
I M
IM
Clarke
J T
JT
Dunlop
M
M
Ballester
G E
GE
Ip
W H
WH
Maurice
S
S
Trauger
J
J
D005118:Extraterrestrial Environment; D018538:Jupiter; D008280:Magnetics; D016082:Solar System