Diffuse Auroral Emissions Driven by Electron Cyclotron Harmonic Waves at Jupiter

Abstract In the present work we have modeled diffuse auroral emissions in Jupiter using the recent observations received by JUNO orbiter. Resonant wave‐particle interaction by electron‐cyclotron harmonic (ECH) waves has been invoked as the mechanism for production of diffuse aurora. Energetic electrons trapped on closed field lines are diffused into the loss‐cone via pitch‐angle diffusion. Electron precipitation fluxes have been calculated. Electrons entering into the atmosphere undergo collisions with atmospheric constituents atomic H and molecular H 2 producing electromagnetic emissions. Four excitations have been considered. These excitations are: HLy‐α from excitation of atomic H, HLy‐α from dissociative excitation of molecular H 2 , Lyman and Werner bands of H 2 . Volume excitation rates have been calculated for these excitations. Height integrated volume excitation rates have been obtained to give auroral intensities. Numerical calculations have been performed at five L‐shells; L = 10, 12, 15, 18 and 20. Maximum auroral intensities is obtained at shell L = 10. At higher shell L = 20 the intensity value reduces to a minimum. The intensities in Rayleigh (R) for HLy‐α from H, HLy‐α from H 2 , Lyman and Werner bands of H 2 are calculated. Comparing these intensities with the diffuse auroral intensities observed at Saturn, it is found that the intensities at Jupiter are higher than the values predicted for Saturn. We have also calculated volume ionization rates for atomic H producing H + , dissociative ionization of H 2 producing H + , and ionization of H 2 producing H 2 + . The continuity equation is solved to obtain the electron density Outcomes are discussed.