IOPW Observations

We wish to gather all possible data related to the program. So please feel free to send us an email if you are involved in relevant observations and would like to link your page to our website. From previous email communications, we have found out about the following observations being carried out at the same time than the HST campaign.

NEW HORIZONS

REQUEST FOR JOVIAN SYSTEM OBSERVATIONS

The New Horizons (NH) spacecraft is making the first-ever journey down the magnetotail of Jupiter. The NH plasma energetic particle instruments (PEPSSI and SWAP) have been measuring interesting spatial structure, particle composition, and temporal variability during their in situ observations. We encourage remote observations of the Jovian system that are relevant to the magnetosphere during the next few weeks, including investigations of aurorae, the Io Plasma Torus, and Io volcanic activity. Observations between now and 2007 June 21, when PEPSSI and SWAP will be turned off to prepare for the hibernation of the NH spacecraft, are particularly important. However, remote observations somewhat after that time may still be useful for piecing together a coherent picture of the state of the Jovian magnetosphere during the NH encounter. Interested observers may contact John Spencer (spencer@boulder.swri.edu) for further information. Read more about the New Horizons spacecraft.

UV/OPTICAL OBSERVATIONS

The Panetary Atmospheres and Space Science Group (PASS) has undertaken an HST campaign to observe Auroras on Jupiter and Saturn in "real time". The project will consist of a concentrated series of HST observations coordinated with planetary spacecraft and other earth-based observations in 2007. The temporal resolution of the measurements combined with the correlation of in situ observations will give us more insight about the phenomena at stake. 

X-RAY OBSERVATIONS

According to Randy Gladstone and Scott Wolk, the XMM and Chandra Observations for Jupiter will take place at the same time than the HST campaign. We will therefore be able to establish a potential correlation between UV and X-Ray emissions in Auroras. 


RADIO OBSERVATIONS

Observations of the Io footprint by F. Reyes (Florida Radio Observatory, Planetary Radio Group) will also complement the data of the HST campaign. According to the current provisional schedules, there is only one window suitable for both radio and Hubble observations during the Feb.-March period for the Univ. of Florida Radio Observatory (UFRO) is Feb 17 from 12 to 13 (UT).

Here is a little summary of Francisco Reyes's description of his intruments: The coordinates of UFRO are Long.= 83 deg. 02' W, Lat.= 29 deg. 32' N . The antennas are 8 conical log periodic (TP) RH polarized and 8 TP's LH polarized. The TP array can observe from about 4 hours before transit to about 4 hours after transit of Hour Angle. Playing with the phasing switches, this can be extended to 4.5 or even 5 hours. At the present the radio spectrograph is functioning 24 hour/day in the frequency range from 18-28 MHz and in a couple of weeks they will extend the low frequency end down to 15 MHz. They also have 7 fixed frequency receivers at the frequencies of 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 and 32 MHz which record the RH and LH circularly polarized components of Jupiter emission.

CASSINI OBSERVATIONS AND DATA

The position of the Cassini Spacecraft relative to Saturn can be followed in real time at the Cassini website. The Cassini measurements include measurements of the Magnetic field, nad particle properties in the magnetosphere of Saturn that can be combined to help explain the images of Auroras taken by HST.