JEE2012 Observing Campaign Preliminary Results

Résumé fourni par la source

Jovian Extinction Events (JEE) occur when an object experiences a loss of intensity as it passes behind dust or gas in the Jovian system. This loss of light or extinction can be caused by material gravitationally bound around one of Jupiter’s four major moons, material trapped in the magnetosphere or torus ring that surrounds Jupiter near Io’s orbit, or possibly material streaming in the flux tubes that connect the four major moons to Jupiter’s poles. Discovered in 2009 and observed through 2010, anomalous dimming was detected from material surrounding the target moon (in front) prior to and after occulting another probing moon (in back) as it passed behind. These measurements were made near the equators of the target moon. During 2012 the orbit of Jupiter was tilted open at about 3 degrees inclination. JEE2012 geometries probed the area above the pole of the target moon and yielded new anomalous trends. Preliminary results indicate these trends demonstrate asymmetry in the material surrounding the target moons, and possibly show structure associated with the flux tube connecting the target moon to Jupiter. Photometric deviation patterns found in the Io Torus Tip JEE possibly confirm predicted zebra patterns or bunching of the torus material via magnetic flux lines. Various reduction methods using JPL Horizons ephemeris are shown and provide initial interpretations of our derived photometric lightcurves.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.