Spectro-imaging observations of Jupiterʹs 2-μm auroral emission. I. H3+ distribution and temperature

We report on spectro-imaging infrared observations of Jupiterʹs auroral zones, acquired in October 1999 and October 2000 with the FTS/BEAR instrument at the Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope. The use of narrow-band filters at 2.09 and 2.12 μm, combined with high spectral resolution (0.2 cm−1), allowed us to map emission from the H2 S1(1) quadrupole line and from several H3+ lines. The H2 and H3+ emission appears to be morphologically different, especially in the north, where the latter notably exhibits a “hot spot” near 150°–170° System III longitude. This hot spot coincides in position with the region of increased and variable hydrocarbon, FUV and X-ray emission, but is not seen in the more uniform H2 S1(1) emission. We also present the first images of the H2 emission in the southern polar region. The spectra include a total of 14 H3+ lines, including two hot lines from the 3ν2–ν2 band, detected on Jupiter for the first time. They can be used to determine H3+ column densities, rotational (Trot) and vibrational (Tvib) temperatures. We find the mean Tvib of the v2=3 state to be lower (960±50 K) than the mean Trot in v2=2 (1170±75 K), indicating an underpopulation of the v2=3 level with respect to local thermodynamical equilibrium. Rotational temperatures and associated column densities are generally higher and lower, respectively, than inferred previously from ν2 observations. This is a likely consequence of a large positive temperature gradient in the sub-microbar auroral atmosphere. While the signal-to-noise is not sufficient to take full advantage of the 2-D capabilities of the observations, the search for correlations between line intensities, Tvib and column densities, indicates that variations in line intensities are mostly due to correlated variations in the H3+ column densities. The thermostatic role played by H3+ at ionospheric levels may provide an explanation. The exception is the northern “hot spot,” which exhibits a Tvib about 250 K higher than other regions. A partial explanation might invoke a homopause elevation in this region, but a fully consistent scenario is not yet available. The different distributions of the H2 and H3+ emission are equally difficult to explain.