Scientists involved in NASA’s Juno mission have for the first time created a comprehensive picture of the extremely harsh radiation environment surrounding the giant gas planet Jupiter.
This detailed 3D map not only depicts the intensity of high-energy particles near the orbit of the icy moon Europa but also illustrates how smaller moons orbiting near Jupiter’s rings affect the complex structure of this radiation zone.
Image of Jupiter.
To conduct this groundbreaking research, scientists utilized data collected from two advanced instruments on the Juno spacecraft: the Advanced Stellar Compass (ASC) and the Star Reference Unit with a 4-camera system, which helped determine the spacecraft’s position in space and measure radiation intensity.
The ASC data revealed the existence of a remarkably strong radiation environment around the orbit of Europa, much more powerful than previously anticipated. This challenges earlier human understanding of the radiation environment surrounding Jupiter.
The 3D radiation map is not only a significant scientific achievement but also provides crucial information for future missions exploring Jupiter and its moons. Europa is one of Jupiter’s 95 moons, slightly smaller than Earth’s moon. Like Earth, Europa is believed to have a rocky crust and an iron core. According to a study published in the journal Nature Astronomy in March, this moon produces about 1,000 tons of oxygen every 24 hours, enough for 1 million people to breathe each day. This oxygen output could affect the moon’s subsurface ocean, which is thought to contain more water than all of Earth’s oceans combined.
NASA plans to launch the Europa Clipper spacecraft in October this year to conduct detailed research on Europa and investigate whether this icy moon may have conditions suitable for life.
