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T. Kostiuk (NASA GSFC), T. A. Livengood (Challenger Center/GSFC), F. Schmülling (NRC/GSFC), D. Buhl, K. E. Fast, M. Flasar, P. Rozmarynowski (GSFC), T. Hewagama (UMD/GSFC)
Auroral emission by ethane was observed from Jupiter with the Heterodyne Instrument for Planetary Wind and Composition, HIPWAC, in December 5-8, 2000 and in February 24-28, 2001, during the Cassini spacecraft flyby of Jupiter. Shapes of individual ethane emission lines near 12 microns from Jupiter's polar regions were measured at spectral resolving power of 1,000,000. These observations were conducted in concert with scheduled observations of the Jovian auroral region by the Cassini Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) before and after closest approach December 30, 2000, complementing CIRS' broad spectral and spatial coverage, and unique vantage point with groundbased measurements at extremely high spectral resolution and spatial resolution comparable to that at closest approach. Preliminary analysis indicates lower ``hot spot" enhancement than previously observed and a brighter emission on the north relative to that of the south auroral region. The results will be compared with CIRS data and with a long-term database relating to temporal variations in the activity of Jupiter’s mid-infrared aurora. Work was supported by the NASA Planetary Astronomy Program.
The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: kostiuk@gsfc.nasa.gov