Dunn, William; (2022) X-Ray Emissions from the Jovian System. In: Bambi, C and Santangelo, A, (eds.) Handbook of X-ray and Gamma-ray Astrophysics. (pp. 1-56). Springer: Singapore.

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Abstract

The Jovian system is a treasure trove of X-ray sources: diverse and dynamic atmospheric and auroral emissions, diffuse radiation belt and Io Plasma Torus emissions, and plasma-surface interactions with Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. The system is a rich natural laboratory for astronomical X-rays with each region showcasing its own X-ray production processes: scattering and fluorescence of solar corona emissions; charge exchange emissions from energetic ions; inverse Compton, thermal, and nonthermal bremsstrahlung emissions from relativistic electrons; and fingerprint fluorescence lines indicative of elemental composition and the potential for life on the Galilean satellites. For the high-energy astrophysics domain, perhaps Jupiter’s greatest attribute is the opportunity to connect observed X-ray emissions with in situ plasma and magnetic field measurements of the precise physical processes that lead to them – irreplaceable ground truths for systems that cannot be visited in situ. Such simultaneous studies have revealed that Jupiter’s spectacular soft X-ray flares and pulsations are produced by wave-particle interactions (compressional and electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves) and the bremsstrahlung aurorae vary with internally driven magnetodisk reconnection and dipolarization. While many remote signatures remain to be linked with their source processes, the future is bright, with synergistic Chandra, NuSTAR, XMM-Newton remote observatons, and Juno in situ measurements continuing to provide revolutionary insights in the coming years, while JUICE and Europa missions with ATHENA and possibly Lynx will enable a new legacy. However, to truly characterize some emissions (e.g., mapping Galilean satellite elemental composition), in situ X-ray instrumentation is a necessity. Recent advances like miniaturized/micropore optics and radiation tolerant detectors enable compact, lightweight, X-ray instrumentation perfectly suited for Jupiter science. The chapter closes by reviewing feasible, low-risk concepts that would paradigm-shift our understanding of the system.

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