Webb Captures Io’s and Europa’s Auroral Footprints in Jupiter’s Atmosphere

Mar 5, 2026 - 16:15
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Webb Captures Io’s and Europa’s Auroral Footprints in Jupiter’s Atmosphere
Webb captured the auroral footprints of Io and Europa, providing spectral measurements for the first time, and revealing extreme changes in the physical properties within Io’s auroral footprint that are likely linked to the electrons crashing into the top of Jupiter’s atmosphere. Image credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / Webb / NIRCam / Jupiter ERS Team / Judy Schmidt / Katie L. Knowles, Northumbria University.

Using the NIRSpec data, planetary scientists measured the physical properties of the auroral footprints of Jupiter’s two innermost Galilean moons, Io and Europa, including the local temperature and ionospheric density, in the near-infrared.

The post Webb Captures Io’s and Europa’s Auroral Footprints in Jupiter’s Atmosphere appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.

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