Auroral Signature of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 in the Jovian Magnetosphere
Ip, W. H.; Dunlop, M.; Clarke, J. T.; Ballester, G. E.; Prange, R.; Trauger, J.; Engle, I. M.; Maurice, S.
Abstract
The electrodynamic interaction of the dust and gas comae of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 with the jovian magnetosphere was unique and different from the atmospheric effects. Early theoretical predictions of auroral-type processes on the comet magnetic field line and advanced modeling of the time-varying morphology of these lines allowed dedicated observations with the Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 and resulted in the detection of a bright auroral spot. In that respect, this observation of the surface signature of an externally triggered auroral process can be considered as a "magnetospheric active experiment" on Jupiter.