Plasma observations at Io with the Galileo spacecraft.
Plasma measurements made during the flyby of Io on 7 December 1995 with the Galileo spacecraft plasma analyzers reveal that the spacecraft unexpectedly passed directly through the ionosphere of Io. The ionosphere is identified by a dense plasma that is at rest with respect to Io. This plasma is cool relative to those encountered outside the ionosphere. The composition of the ionospheric plasmas includes O++, O+ and S++, S+, and SO2+ ions. The plasma conditions at Io appear to account for the decrease in the magnetic field, without the need to assume that Io has a magnetized interior.
Frank
L A
LA
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA.
Paterson
W R
WR
Ackerson
K L
KL
Vasyliunas
V M
VM
Coroniti
F V
FV
Bolton
S J
SJ
D005118:Extraterrestrial Environment; D007477:Ions; D018538:Jupiter; D008280:Magnetics; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis; D013455:Sulfur / Q000032:analysis; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide / Q000032:analysis
D007477:Ions; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide; D013455:Sulfur; D010100:Oxygen