The Jovian Auroral Distributions Experiment (JADE) on Juno provides the critical
in situ
measurements of electrons and ions needed to understand the plasma energy particles and processes that fill ...the Jovian magnetosphere and ultimately produce its strong aurora. JADE is an instrument suite that includes three essentially identical electron sensors (JADE-Es), a single ion sensor (JADE-I), and a highly capable Electronics Box (EBox) that resides in the Juno Radiation Vault and provides all necessary control, low and high voltages, and computing support for the four sensors. The three JADE-Es are arrayed 120
∘
apart around the Juno spacecraft to measure complete electron distributions from ∼0.1 to 100 keV and provide detailed electron pitch-angle distributions at a 1 s cadence, independent of spacecraft spin phase. JADE-I measures ions from ∼5 eV to ∼50 keV over an instantaneous field of view of 270
∘
×90
∘
in 4 s and makes observations over all directions in space each 30 s rotation of the Juno spacecraft. JADE-I also provides ion composition measurements from 1 to 50 amu with
m
/Δ
m
∼2.5, which is sufficient to separate the heavy and light ions, as well as O+ vs S+, in the Jovian magnetosphere. All four sensors were extensively tested and calibrated in specialized facilities, ensuring excellent on-orbit observations at Jupiter. This paper documents the JADE design, construction, calibration, and planned science operations, data processing, and data products. Finally, the
Appendix
describes the Southwest Research Institute SwRI electron calibration facility, which was developed and used for all JADE-E calibrations. Collectively, JADE provides remarkably broad and detailed measurements of the Jovian auroral region and magnetospheric plasmas, which will surely revolutionize our understanding of these important and complex regions.
The Juno spacecraft acquired direct observations of the jovian magnetosphere and auroral emissions from a vantage point above the poles. Juno’s capture orbit spanned the jovian magnetosphere from bow ...shock to the planet, providing magnetic field, charged particle, and wave phenomena context for Juno’s passage over the poles and traverse of Jupiter’s hazardous inner radiation belts. Juno’s energetic particle and plasma detectors measured electrons precipitating in the polar regions, exciting intense aurorae, observed simultaneously by the ultraviolet and infrared imaging spectrographs. Juno transited beneath the most intense parts of the radiation belts, passed about 4000 kilometers above the cloud tops at closest approach, well inside the jovian rings, and recorded the electrical signatures of high-velocity impacts with small particles as it traversed the equator.
Juno obtained unique low‐altitude space environment measurements over Jupiter's poles on 27 August 2016. Here Jupiter Energetic‐particle Detector Instrument observations are presented for electrons ...(25–800 keV) and protons (10–1500 keV). We analyze magnetic field‐aligned electron angular beams over expected auroral regions that were sometimes symmetric (bidirectional) but more often strongly asymmetric. Included are variable but surprisingly persistent upward, monodirectional electron angular beams emerging from what we term the “polar cap,” poleward of the nominal auroral ovals. The energy spectra of all beams were monotonic and hard (not structured in energy), showing power law‐like distributions often extending beyond ~800 keV. Given highly variable downward energy fluxes (below 1 RJ altitudes within the loss cone) as high as 280 mW/m2, we suggest that mechanisms generating these beams are among the primary processes generating Jupiter's uniquely intense auroral emissions, distinct from what is typically observed at Earth.
Key Points
Upward, energy‐monotonic energetic electron angular beams are unexpectedly persistent over Jupiter's polar caps
Jupiter's aurora appears not to be associated with monoenergetic electron beams but with other processes
Jupiter's aurora is powered by the downward portion of bidirectional, energy‐monotonic electron angular beams and diffuse precipitation
Using Juno plasma, electric and magnetic field observations (from JADE, Waves, and MAG instruments), we show that electron conic distributions are commonly observed in Jovian radio sources. The ...conics are characterized by maximum fluxes at oblique pitch angles, ~20°–30° from the B field, both in the upward and downward directions. They constitute an efficient source of free energy for the cyclotron maser instability. Growth rates of ~3 to 7 × 104 s−1 are obtained for hectometric waves, leading to amplification by e10 with propagation paths of 50–100 km. We show that stochastic acceleration due to interactions with a low‐frequency electric field turbulence located a few 104 km above the ionosphere may form the observed conics. A possible source of turbulence could be inertial Alfvén waves, suggesting a connection between the auroral acceleration and generation of coherent radio emissions.
Plain Language Summary
Jupiter, as many astrophysical magnetized objects, is a powerful emitter of nonthermal radio emissions. The coherent process required for their generation is likely the cyclotron maser instability (CMI). However, the exact conditions of wave amplification are not known precisely at Jupiter. With Juno mission, for the first time, it is possible to explore the auroral regions of Jupiter, where the particles are accelerated and the nonthermal emissions produced. With several crossing of the radio sources, the free energy used by the CMI can now be identified. It corresponds to conic‐like distributions, characterized by an accumulation of particles just outside the loss cones. Applying the CMI theory, large growth rates are obtained, showing that the conics probably play a central role in the wave generation source. The formation of the conics could be due to an interaction with a low‐frequency Alfvénic turbulence. This suggests a close relationship between the radio wave generation and the particle acceleration, as at Earth, the details of the scenario being, nevertheless, slightly different.
Key Points
Electron conics are observed by Juno in Jovian radio sources, and their role in the wave amplification is analyzed
The observed conics may very efficiently drive the cyclotron maser, from decametric to kilometric wavelength ranges
The formation of conics is modeled by a stochastic acceleration due to a low‐frequency parallel electric field turbulence
Simulation studies of the Earth's radiation belts and ring current are very useful in understanding the acceleration, transport, and loss of energetic particles. Recently, the Comprehensive Ring ...Current Model (CRCM) and the Radiation Belt Environment (RBE) model were merged to form a Comprehensive Inner Magnetosphere-Ionosphere (CIMI) model. CIMI solves for many essential quantities in the inner magnetosphere, including ion and electron distributions in the ring current and radiation belts, plasmaspheric density, Region 2 currents, convection potential, and precipitation in the ionosphere. It incorporates whistler mode chorus and hiss wave diffusion of energetic electrons in energy, pitch angle, and cross terms. CIMI thus represents a comprehensive model that considers the effects of the ring current and plasmasphere on the radiation belts. We have performed a CIMI simulation for the storm on 5-9 April 2010 and then compared our results with data from the Two Wide-angle Imaging Neutral-atom Spectrometers and Akebono satellites. We identify the dominant energization and loss processes for the ring current and radiation belts. We find that the interactions with the whistler mode chorus waves are the main cause of the flux increase of MeV electrons during the recovery phase of this particular storm. When a self-consistent electric field from the CRCM is used, the enhancement of MeV electrons is higher than when an empirical convection model is applied. We also demonstrate how CIMI can be a powerful tool for analyzing and interpreting data from the new Van Allen Probes mission.
This study presents a survey of ion flow speed, density, temperature, and composition observed by the Jovian Auroral Distributions Experiment Ion (JADE‐I) sensor on Juno from 10–40 RJ in the dawn to ...midnight sector of Jupiter's magnetosphere. The survey covers Juno orbits 5–22, and the observations are separated by equatorial (|zmagRJ| ≤ 1.5) and off‐equator (|zmagRJ|>1.5) regions. Plasma parameters for H+, O+, O2+, O3+, Na+, S+, S2+, and S3+ are derived by forward modeling JADE‐I's energy‐per‐charge versus time‐of‐flight spectra using omnidirectional averaged convected kappa distributions and modeled instrument responses. O+ and S2+ are resolved via a ray‐tracing simulation based on carbon‐foil‐effects. The ion flow speed increases with radial distance and is comparable to rigid corotation speed out to ∼20 RJ. Ion number densities decrease with radial distance, the primary species being H+, O+, and S2+. The relative contribution of H+ and S2+ increases and decreases, respectively, in the off‐equator regions, supporting the interpretation that the latitudinal distribution of ions is mass dependent. The O+ to S2+ and ΣOn+ to ΣSn+ number density ratios are variable, the 5 RJ bin averages for O+ to S2+ ranging from ∼0.75–1.5 (equator) and ∼1.1–1.8 (off‐equator) and ΣOn+ to ΣSn+ from ∼0.6–0.9 (equator) and ∼0.8–1.1 (off‐equator). Both proton and heavy ion temperatures show order of magnitude increases between 10 and 20 RJ and range from ∼100 eV to 10 keV and 1 keV to a few tens of keV, respectively.
Plain Language Summary
The Jovian Auroral Distributions Experiment (JADE) on Juno has continuously investigated the plasma environment in Jupiter's magnetosphere since its arrival in August 2016. The polar‐orbiting spacecraft enables JADE to explore both equatorial and off‐equator regions of Jupiter's plasma sheet. In this study, we present plasma sheet ion characteristics such as ion composition, flow speed, and temperatures for H+, O+, O2+, O3+, Na+, S+, S2+, and S3+ that are originating from the innermost Galilean satellite Io. A spatial dependence of ion characteristics is discussed and compared to previous observations. While the density profiles agree well with the Voyager‐based studies, temperatures found in this study show at least an order of magnitude higher values. A new addition to this paper is that the latitudinal distribution of ions shows trend in the mass. Relative composition of protons increases compared to the heavier ions in the off‐equator regions. These observations provide insights on how the ions are distributed throughout Jupiter's magnetosphere and improve our current understanding on ion dynamics in the plasma sheet.
Key Points
Ion flow speed, number density, temperature, and composition in Jupiter's plasma sheet show radial and/or latitudinal trends
H+, O+, and S2+ are the primary ions, the contribution of H+ and S2+ increasing and decreasing, respectively, in the off‐equator region
The O+ to S2+ density ratio is variable, the 5 RJ bin averages ranging from 0.7–1.5 (equator) and 1.1–1.8 (off‐equator)
The low‐altitude, high‐velocity trajectory of the Juno spacecraft enables the Jovian Auroral Distributions Experiment to make the first in situ observations of the high‐latitude ionospheric plasma. ...Ions are observed to energies below 1 eV. The high‐latitude ionospheric ions are observed simultaneously with a loss cone in the magnetospheric ions, suggesting precipitating magnetospheric ions contribute to the heating of the upper ionosphere, raising the scale height, and pushing ionospheric ions to altitudes of 0.5 RJ above the planet where they are observed by Jovian Auroral Distributions Experiment. The source of the magnetospheric ions is tied to the Io torus and plasma sheet, indicated by the cutoff seen in both the magnetospheric and ionospheric plasma at the Io M‐shells. Equatorward of the Io M‐shell boundary, the ionospheric ions are not observed, indicating a drop in the scale height of the ionospheric ions at those latitudes.
Plain Language Summary
The Jovian Auroral Distributions Experiment (JADE) ion sensor has made the first in situ observations of the upper, high‐latitude ionosphere of Jupiter. Flown on the Juno spacecraft, JADE observes the ionosphere at altitudes of approximately half a Jovian radii, with the spacecraft traveling at the high speed of ~50 km/s. For comparison, a proton traveling at 50 km/s has an energy of approximately 10 eV. The combination of the low‐altitude and high ram velocity enables JADE to measure ionospheric ions to energies below 1 eV. These observations reveal a cold ionospheric population of protons at high latitudes, seen coincident with precipitating magnetospheric ions. This indicates that the precipitating magnetospheric ions heat the upper ionosphere, raising the height where these protons can be observed. The ionospheric protons are seen in bands in the northern and southern latitudes, bounded on the equator edge by the field lines that connect to Io, and inside the auroral oval to the poleward side.
Key Points
The high‐latitude ionosphere is observed between the magnetic latitudes bounded by the auroral oval and Io's magnetic flux shell
Two populations are observed at high latitudes: (1) magnetospheric ions consisting of H, S, and O ions and (2) cold ionospheric H+ ions
Observation of a loss cone suggests precipitating magnetospheric ions heat the upper ionosphere to heights ~0.5 RJ above the clouds
We report on the first observations of 100 eV to 100 keV electrons over the auroral regions of Jupiter by the Jovian Auroral Distributions Experiment (JADE) on board the Juno mission. The focus is on ...the regions that were magnetically connected to the main auroral oval. Amongst the most remarkable features, JADE observed electron beams, mostly upward going but also some downward going in the south, at latitudes from ~69° to 72° and ~ −66° to −70° corresponding to M shells (“M” for magnetic) from ~18 to 54 and ~28 to 61, respectively. The beams were replaced by upward loss cones at lower latitudes. There was no evidence of strongly accelerated downward electrons analogous to the auroral “inverted Vs” at Earth. Rather, the presence of upward loss cones suggests a diffuse aurora process. The energy spectra resemble tails of distributions or power laws (suggestive of a stochastic acceleration process) but can also have some clear enhancements or even peaks generally between 1 and 10 keV. Electron intensities change on timescales of a second or less at times implying that auroral structures can be of the order of a few tens of kilometers.
Key Points
First 100 eV to 100 keV electron measurements in the auroral regions of Jupiter
Upward and downward electron beams observed in the polar regions and on field lines connected to the middle plasma sheet
Upward loss cone on the field lines connected to the inner plasma sheet suggesting a diffuse aurora process
We explore the variation in plasma conditions through the middle magnetosphere of Jupiter with latitude and radial distance using Juno‐JADE measurements of plasma density (electrons, protons, sulfur, ...and oxygen ions) surveyed on Orbits 5–26 between March 2017 and April 2020. On most orbits, the densities exhibit regular behavior, mapping out a disk between 10 and 50 RJ (Jovian radii). In the disk, the heavy ions are confined close to the centrifugal equator which oscillates relative to the spacecraft due to the ∼10° tilt of Jupiter's magnetic dipole. Exploring each crossing of the plasma disk shows there are some occasions where the density profiles are smooth and well‐defined. At other times, small‐scale structures suggest temporal and/or spatial variabilities. There are some exceptional orbits where the outer regions (30–50 RJ) of the plasma disk show uniform depletion, perhaps due to enhanced ejection of plasmoids down the magnetotail, possibly triggered by solar wind compression events.
Key Points
On most orbits, the densities exhibit regular behavior mapping out a disk confined close to the centrifugal equator
Small‐scale (∼minutes) variabilities may indicate radial transport via local instabilities
Occasionally a uniformly tenuous outer disk indicates enhanced losses, perhaps triggered by solar wind compression
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