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Lightning activity on Jupiter |
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| Authors: | WJ Borucki A Bar-Nun FL Scarf AF Cook GE Hunt |
| Institution: | NASA Ames Research Center, Theoretical and Planetary Studies Branch, Moffett Field, California 94035, USA;Department of Geophysics and Planetary Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel;TRW Inc., 1 Space Park, Redondo Beach, California 90278, USA;Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02130, USA;Laboratory of Planetary Atmospheres, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1, Canada |
| Abstract: | Photographic observations of the nightside of Jupiter by the Voyager 1 spacecraft show the presence of extensive lightning activity. Detection of whistlers by the plasma wave analyzer confirms the optical observations and implies that many flashes were not recorded by the Voyager camera because the intensity of the flashes was below the threshold sensitivity of the camera. Measurements of the optical energy radiated per flash indicate that the observed flashes had energies similar to that for terrestrial superbolts. The best estimate of the lightning energy dissipation rate of 0.4 × 10?3 W/m2 was derived from a consideration of the optical and radiofrequency measurements. The ratio of the energy dissipated by lightning compared to the convective energy flux is estimated to be between 0.27 × 10?4 and 0.5 × 10?4. The terrestrial value is 1 × 10?4. |
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