NASA scientists working on the Juno mission have achieved a groundbreaking milestone by developing the first-ever complete 3D radiation map of Jupiter’s system, according to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).
This innovative map provides a comprehensive view of the radiation intensity near the orbit of Jupiter’s icy moon Europa and illustrates how the smaller moons close to Jupiter’s rings influence the radiation environment. These insights are crucial for future exploratory missions and deepen our understanding of the giant planet’s complex system.
The achievement was made possible through data collected by Juno’s Advanced Stellar Compass (ASC), developed by the Technical University of Denmark, and its Stellar Reference Unit, built by Leonardo SpA in Italy. These sophisticated instruments enabled scientists to analyze radiation at various energy levels throughout Jupiter’s vast system.
Juno’s ASC comprises four star cameras mounted on the spacecraft’s magnetometer boom. These cameras play a vital role in determining the spacecraft’s orientation by capturing images of stars. Through this technology, the team discovered unexpectedly high levels of very high-energy radiation near Europa’s orbit.
Moreover, the findings confirmed that high-energy electrons are more concentrated on the side of Europa facing its direction of motion, known as the leading side, compared to the moon’s trailing side. This asymmetry provides valuable information about the interaction between Europa and Jupiter’s magnetosphere.
Understanding Jupiter’s radiation belts is essential not only for protecting spacecraft from potential damage but also for planning future missions to Europa, which is considered one of the prime candidates in the search for extraterrestrial life due to its subsurface ocean.
With this new 3D radiation map, scientists and engineers can better prepare for the challenges of exploring Jupiter’s system and continue to unlock the mysteries of our solar system’s largest planet.
(With input from Xinhua)
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NASA's Juno mission develops first 3D radiation map of Jupiter system
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