Backscattering of Ions Impacting Ganymede’s Surface as a Source for Energetic Neutral Atoms
Jupiter’s largest moon Ganymede has its own intrinsic magnetic field, which forms a magnetosphere that is embedded within Jupiter’s corotating magnetospheric plasma. This scenario has been shown to lead to complex ion precipitation patterns that have been connected to heterogeneous space weathering...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2024-01-01
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| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ad2701 |
| _version_ | 1797290161077223424 |
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| author | Paul S. Szabo Andrew R. Poppe Andreas Mutzke Lucas Liuzzo Shane R. Carberry Mogan |
| author_facet | Paul S. Szabo Andrew R. Poppe Andreas Mutzke Lucas Liuzzo Shane R. Carberry Mogan |
| author_sort | Paul S. Szabo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Jupiter’s largest moon Ganymede has its own intrinsic magnetic field, which forms a magnetosphere that is embedded within Jupiter’s corotating magnetospheric plasma. This scenario has been shown to lead to complex ion precipitation patterns that have been connected to heterogeneous space weathering across Ganymede’s surface. We present the first simulations of energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) from backscattered H, O, and S ions, accounting for magnetospheric plasma precipitation and Ganymede’s heterogeneous surface composition. Our model shows that backscattering introduces significant atomic H and O populations to Ganymede’s ENA environment, which will allow remote observation of ion–surface interactions at Ganymede. There are distinct differences between H ENA emissions at Ganymede and the Moon, with orders of magnitude lower fluxes below 1 keV but a significant tail above 1 keV. Backscattered H ENAs will also dominate over sputtered H contributions above energies of around 1 keV, while O ENAs are less likely to be distinguished from sputtered ENAs. The backscattered H ENAs thus represent a promising candidate for studying the plasma–surface interaction on Ganymede with future observations of ESA’s JUICE mission. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T19:16:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b52eeae923c64d8091edeb6391dde622 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2041-8205 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T19:16:26Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Astrophysical Journal Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-b52eeae923c64d8091edeb6391dde6222024-02-29T13:50:56ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal Letters2041-82052024-01-019631L3210.3847/2041-8213/ad2701Backscattering of Ions Impacting Ganymede’s Surface as a Source for Energetic Neutral AtomsPaul S. Szabo0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7478-7999Andrew R. Poppe1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8137-8176Andreas Mutzke2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0517-6817Lucas Liuzzo3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4820-8594Shane R. Carberry Mogan4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0261-8117Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California , Berkeley, 7 Gauss Way, CA 94720, USASpace Sciences Laboratory, University of California , Berkeley, 7 Gauss Way, CA 94720, USAMax Planck Institute for Plasma Physics , Wendelsteinstraße 1, 17491 Greifswald, GermanySpace Sciences Laboratory, University of California , Berkeley, 7 Gauss Way, CA 94720, USASpace Sciences Laboratory, University of California , Berkeley, 7 Gauss Way, CA 94720, USAJupiter’s largest moon Ganymede has its own intrinsic magnetic field, which forms a magnetosphere that is embedded within Jupiter’s corotating magnetospheric plasma. This scenario has been shown to lead to complex ion precipitation patterns that have been connected to heterogeneous space weathering across Ganymede’s surface. We present the first simulations of energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) from backscattered H, O, and S ions, accounting for magnetospheric plasma precipitation and Ganymede’s heterogeneous surface composition. Our model shows that backscattering introduces significant atomic H and O populations to Ganymede’s ENA environment, which will allow remote observation of ion–surface interactions at Ganymede. There are distinct differences between H ENA emissions at Ganymede and the Moon, with orders of magnitude lower fluxes below 1 keV but a significant tail above 1 keV. Backscattered H ENAs will also dominate over sputtered H contributions above energies of around 1 keV, while O ENAs are less likely to be distinguished from sputtered ENAs. The backscattered H ENAs thus represent a promising candidate for studying the plasma–surface interaction on Ganymede with future observations of ESA’s JUICE mission.https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ad2701GanymedePlanetary magnetospheresSpace plasmasPlanetary surfaces |
| spellingShingle | Paul S. Szabo Andrew R. Poppe Andreas Mutzke Lucas Liuzzo Shane R. Carberry Mogan Backscattering of Ions Impacting Ganymede’s Surface as a Source for Energetic Neutral Atoms The Astrophysical Journal Letters Ganymede Planetary magnetospheres Space plasmas Planetary surfaces |
| title | Backscattering of Ions Impacting Ganymede’s Surface as a Source for Energetic Neutral Atoms |
| title_full | Backscattering of Ions Impacting Ganymede’s Surface as a Source for Energetic Neutral Atoms |
| title_fullStr | Backscattering of Ions Impacting Ganymede’s Surface as a Source for Energetic Neutral Atoms |
| title_full_unstemmed | Backscattering of Ions Impacting Ganymede’s Surface as a Source for Energetic Neutral Atoms |
| title_short | Backscattering of Ions Impacting Ganymede’s Surface as a Source for Energetic Neutral Atoms |
| title_sort | backscattering of ions impacting ganymede s surface as a source for energetic neutral atoms |
| topic | Ganymede Planetary magnetospheres Space plasmas Planetary surfaces |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ad2701 |
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