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At least 181 records · Page 10

"Active" and "Passive" Lava Resurfacing Processes on Io: A Comparative Study of Loki Patera and Prometheus

Studies of Galileo Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS) data and ground based data of volcanism at Prometheus and Loki Patera on Io reveal very different mechanisms of lava emplacement at these two volcanoes. Data analyses show that the periodic nature of Loki Patera s volcanism from 1990 to 2001 is strong evidence that Loki s resurfacing over this period resulted from the foundering of a crust on a lava lake. This process is designated passive , as there is no reliance on sub-surface processes: the foundering of the crust is inevitable. Prometheus, on the other hand, displays an episodicity in its activity which we designate active . Like Kilauea, a close analog, Prometheus s effusive volcanism is dominated by pulses of magma through the nearsurface plumbing system. Each system affords views of lava resurfacing processes through modelling.

Davies, A. G.↗

A tenuous carbon dioxide atmosphere on Jupiter's moon Callisto

An off-limb scan of Callisto was conducted by the Galileo near-infrared mapping spectrometer to search for a carbon dioxide atmosphere. Airglow in the carbon dioxide nu3 band was observed up to 100 kilometers above the surface and indicates the presence of a tenuous carbon dioxide atmosphere with surface pressure of 7.5 x 10(-12) bar and a temperature of about 150 kelvin, close to the surface temperature. A lifetime on the order of 4 years is suggested, based on photoionization and magnetospheric sweeping. Either the atmosphere is transient and was formed recently or some process is currently supplying carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.

unmanned↗

Science with the James Webb Telescope

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will be a large (6.5m) cold (50K) telescope launched to the second Earth-Sun Lagrange point in 2011. It is the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, and is a partnership of NASA, ESA and CSA. Its science goals are to detect and identify the first galaxies to form in the universe, to trace the assembly of galaxies, and to study stellar and planetary system formation. JWST will have three instruments: The Near Infrared Camera and the Near Infrared multiobject Spectrometer will cover the wavelength range 0.6 to 5 microns, and the Mid Infrared Instrument will do both imaging and spectroscopy from 5 to 27 microns. In this special session, we review the status and capabilities of the observatory and instruments in the context of these major goals.

Gardner, Jonathan↗

Galileo SSI Observations of Volcanic Activity at Tvashtar Catena, Io

Introduction: We report on the analysis of the Galileo SSI's observations of the volcanic activity at Tvashtar Catena, Io as discussed by Milazzo et al. Galileo's Solid State Imager (SSI) observed Tvashtar Catena (63 deg N, 120 deg W) four times between November 1999 and October 2001, providing a unique look at the distinctive high latitude volcanism on Io. The November 1999 observation spatially resolved, for the first time, an active extraterrestrial fissure eruption. The brightness temperature of the lavas at the November 1999 fissure eruption was 1300 K. The second observation (orbit I27, February 2000) showed a large (approx. 500 sq km) region with many, small spots of hot, active lava. The third observation was taken in conjunction with a Cassini observation in December 2000 and showed a Pele-like plume deposition ring, while the Cassini images revealed a 400 km high Pele-type plume above the Catena. The final Galileo SSI observation of Tvashtar was acquired in October 2001, and all obvious (to SSI) activity had ceased, although data from Galileo's Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS) indicated that there was still significant thermal emission from the Tvashtar region. We have concentrated on analyzing the style of eruption during orbit I27 (February 2000). Comparison with a lava flow cooling model indicates that the behavior of the Tvashtar eruption during I27 does not match that of "simple" advancing lava flows. Instead, it may be an active lava lake or a complex set of lava flows with episodic, overlapping (in time and space) eruptions.

Milazzo, M. P.↗

Near-IR Spectroscopy of the Atmosphere of Jupiter

The Galileo Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer obtains spectral images in the wavelength range 0.7 to 5.2 um with a special resolving power of approximately 200. This spectral range allows NIMS to sense cloud-reflected solar radiation, thermal emission from the deep atmosphere, and auroral bands from the thermosphere of Jupiter.

Jupiter Galileo Spectrometer↗

Galileo Infrared Observations of the Shoemaker-Levy 9 G Impact Fireball: A Preliminary Report

The Galileo spacecraft was fortuitously situated for a direct view of the impacts of the fragments of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 in Jupiter's atmosphere. The Galileo Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer instrument observed several of the impact events in several discrete bands and with a temporal resolution of roughly five seconds. This report provides a preliminary description of the fireball phase.

Shoemaker-Levy Comet Galileo Jupiter Fireball↗

Lossless Compression and Rate Control for the Galileo NIMS Experiment

The Galileo Near-Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS) is a sophisticated multi-spectral instrument that was developed to study the spatial/compositional aspects of the atmosphere of Jupiter and the surfaces of it's satellites. Since its original development, the communication capability of the Galileo spacecraft has been severly reduced as the result of a failure of ground controllers to open the main antenna. The data rate which will be available for all instruments at the first Jupiter encounter in 1995 has been reduced by several orders of magnitude (even after recent numerous improvements to data link efficiency.).

data compression NIMS instrument Galileo↗

Variations in Venus Cloud Particle Properties

Using Venus nightside data obtained by the Galileo Near Infrared Mapping spectrometer, we hav studied the correclation of 1.74 and 2.30 (sub m) radiation which is transmitted through the clouds.

processes↗

Galileo Infrared Observations of the Shoemaker Levy 9 G and R Fireballs and Splash

The Galileo spacecraft was fortuitously situated for a direct view of the impacts of comet Shoemaker(ka)evy 9 in Jupiter's atmosphere and measurements were recorded by the Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS) instrument for several of the impact events. Seventeen discrete wavelength channels were used between 0.7 to 5.0 microns, obtained with a time resolution of 5 seconds. Two phases of the impact phenomena are found in the data: the initial fireball, which was evident for one minute, and subsequent fallback of impact ejecta onto the atmosphere, starting six minutes after fireball initiation.

Shoemaker Levy↗

Global Geologic Mapping of Io: Preliminary Results

A new global geologic map of Jupiter's volcanic moon, Io is being prepared, with the focus being on completion of a draft map by July 2008. Here initial results of the mapping are reported: a preliminary distribution of material units in terms of areas and a visual representation. Additionally, the mapping hopes to address some of the problems in Io geology. Thus far it has been discovered that Io's surface is dominated by plains material, thought to consist of Io's silicate crust covered by pyroclastic deposits and lava flows of silicate and sulfur-bearing composition. Many plains areas contain flow fields that cannot be mapped separately due to a lack of resolution or modification by alteration processes. Discrete lava flows and flow fields are the next most abundant unit, with bright (sulfur?) flows in greater abundance than dark (silicate?) flows. The source of most of Io's heat flow, the paterae, are the least abundant unit in terms of areal extent.Upon completion of the draft map for peer review, it will be used to investigate several specific questions about the geological evolution of Io that previously could not be well addressed, including: comparison of the areas versus the heights of Ionian mountains to assess their stability and evolution; correlation and comparison of Galileo Near-Infrared Mapping Spectrometer and Photopolarimeter-Radiometer hot spot locations with the mapped location of dark versus bright lava flows and patera floors to assess any variations in the types of sources for Io's active volcanism; and the creation of a global inventory of the areal coverage of dark and bright laval flows to assess the relative importance of sulfur versus silicate volcanism in resurfacing Io, and to assess whether there are regional concentrations of either style of volcanism that may have implications on interior processes.

Williams, David A.↗

Ion Irradiation of Sulfuric Acid: Implications for its Stability on Europa

The Galileo near-infrared mapping spectrometer (NIMS) detected regions on Europa's surface containing distorted H2O bands. This distortion likely indicates that there are other molecules mixed with the water ice. Based on spectral comparison, some of the leading possibilities are sulfuric acid, salts. or possibly H3O(+). Previous laboratory studies have shown that sulfuric acid can be created by irradiation of H2OSO2 mixtures, and both molecules are present on Europa. In this project, we were interested in investigating the radiation stability of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and determining its lifetime on the surface of Europa.

Loeffler, M. J.↗

Interstellar Organics, the Solar Nebula, and Saturn's Satellite Phoebe

The diffuse interstellar medium inventory of organic material (Pendleton et al. 1994, Pe 2002) was likely incorporated into the molecular cloud in which the solar nebula condensed. This provided the feedstock for the fo planets, and the smaller icy bodies in the region outside Neptune's orbit (transneptunian objects, or TNOs). Saturn's satellites Phoeb open a window to the composition of one class of TNO as revealed by the near-infrared mapping spectrometer (VIMS) on the Cass Phoebe (mean diameter 213 km) is a former TNO now orbiting Saturn. VIMS spectral maps of Phoebe's surface reveal a complex consisting of prominent aromatic (CH) and aliphatic hydrocarbon (CH2, CH3) absorption bands (3.2-3.6 μm). Phoebe is the source encircling Saturn, and from which particles (~5-20 μm size) spiral inward toward Saturn. They encounter Iapetus and Hyperion wh blanket the native H2O ice of those two bodies. Quantitative analysis of the hydrocarbon bands on Iapetus demonstrates that aroma abundant as aliphatic CH2+CH3, significantly exceeding the strength of the aromatic signature in interplanetary dust particles, com carbonaceous meteorites (Cruikshank et al. 2013). A similar excess of aromatics over aliphatics is seen in the qualitative analysis o itself (Dalle Ore et al. 2012). The Iapetus aliphatic hydrocarbons show CH2/CH3 ~4, which is larger than the value found in the di as Phoebe is a primitive body that formed in the outer regions of the solar nebula and has preserved some of the original nebula inv understanding the content and degree of processing of that nebular material. There are other Phoebe-like TNOs that are presently b in the organic spectral region, but JWST will open that possibility for a number of objects. We now need to explore and understand organic-bearing Solar System material to the solar nebula and the inventory of ISM materials incorporated therein.

Interstellar↗