The spatial structure and temporal variability of Ganymede’s auroral ovals from Hubble Space Telescope observations

Abstract

We analyze spectrally and spatially resolved images of Ganymede’s FUV-auroral ovals obtained during the past two decades by Hubble’s Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (HST/STIS). We find both, spatial inhomogeneities of the brightness-distribution on the observed disk as well as temporal variation as a function of Ganymede’s position relative to the Jovian current sheet. The brightness of the ovals is not equally distributed along the ovals, i.e., the Jupiter-facing side is always brighter than the anti-Jupiter side at least by ~60%. When Ganymede moves from high elevated magnetic latitudes towards the center region of the Jovian current sheet, the brightness of the aurora on the leading side increases by over 30% from ~80 Rayleigh up to ~108 Rayleigh. Simultaneously, inside the current sheet center the auroral ovals are displaced by an average of ~6° of planetographic latitude, i.e., the ovals shift furthermore down towards the planetographic equator on the leading side, and up towards the poles on the trailing side. Both effects, the increase of brightness and the moving of the ovals, are correlated to increased plasma interaction inside the current sheet. Ganymede’s electron-impact-excited auroral emissions are thought to be driven by electron acceleration by strong field-aligned currents at the boundary area between open and closed magnetic field lines of Ganymede’s mini-magnetosphere. The change of the auroral morphology is a direct response to the changing plasma environment, i.e., changing ram and thermal pressures. Thus, the investigation of the aurora proves to be a suitable diagnostic tool of the various processes that contribute to Ganymede’s complex plasma and magnetic field environment.