Io's volcanic influence on the Io plasma torus: HISAKI observation in 2015

Abstract:

The satellite Io which has many active volcanos supplies volcanic gases to the Jovian magnetosphere with typical rate of 1 ton/sec and has been known be a primary source of plasmas in the magnetosphere. Change in the volcanic activity on Io should cause change of the supply rate and could affect structure of the magnetosphere and dynamics occurs in it. However, responses of the magnetosphere to the volcanic activity is still not fully understood; one of the reasons is lack of continuous and long term observations of Io' volcanic gas extended around Io, plasmas in the Io torus, and activity of the magnetosphere. The extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectroscope, EXCEED, onboard the HISAKI satellite has capability to measure ion and atomic emission lines in EUV range (55-145nm) and is dedicated to observing solar system planets. The satellite has been successfully launched on Sep. 2013 and 2nd campaign of Io plasma torus and Jovian northern EUV aurora observation has been done from the end of Nov. 2014 to middle of May 2015. On middle of Jan. 2015, HISAKI detected gradual increase in intensity of S+ emission lines and decrease of S3+ ones in the plasma torus. The S+ intensity showed a maximum around the end of Feb. and S++ and S3+ intensities also showed maxima subsequently. Simultaneous ground based observation of the sodium nebula showed increase of the emission intensity from the middle of Jan. to the beginning of Mar. These observations suggest that the volcanic activity began at the middle of Jan. and increase neutral atom and ion densities in the Io torus. The intensities of S+ and S2+ ions returned to the pre-increase level by the middle of May 2015. S3+ had still been in the decay phase at the end of the observation. Change in radial structure of the plasma torus was also found during the volcanic event. The intensity of S+ ion began to increase around the orbit of Io (6 Jovian radii). The brightened region propagated outward and reached at 8.5 Jovian radii from Jupiter at the beginning of Feb. Outward transport speed of ion is simply estimated to be 140m/sec. Further one month later, HISAKI found unusual activity of Jovian EUV aurora intensity. It began at the beginning of Mar. and continued for 1 month. The aurora activity may be caused by the enhanced loading of heavy ion plasma into the middle magnetosphere.