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R. E. Johnson (Engineering Physics, U. Virginia), J. F. Cooper (Hughes STX Crp., Space Physics Data Facility, GSFC), B. H. Mauk (APL, JHU)
Galileo Orbiter measurements of energetic particles in the jovian magnetosphere have characterized the ion energy spectra and composition. Contrary to earlier assumptions in modelling the radiation effects, the plasma energy flux is dominated by very energetic protons and electrons. The energetic protons and electrons reaching the surface have large penetration depths and can cause spectral change at depth. In contrast, the energetic sulfur and oxygen ions have much smaller penetration depths but are efficient sputtering agents. In this paper the energetic particle data are combined with data on irradiation effects for materials thought to be present on the surfaces of the icy satellites. In this way we determine the relative importance of the precipitating charged particles for altering the spectral properties of the jovian satellites and for producing an ambient gas.
The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: rej@virginia.edu