Elsevier

Icarus

Volume 151, Issue 1, May 2001, Pages 1-24
Icarus

Regular Article
SL9 Impacts: VLA High-Resolution Observations at λ=20 cm

https://doi.org/10.1006/icar.2001.6600Get rights and content

Abstract

We present high resolution (0.3 RJ) VLA observations of Jupiter at a wavelength of 20 cm which were taken during and after the impacts of Comet D/Shoemaker–Levy 9. The observations are presented both as a function of central meridian longitude λcml and, after applying tomographic techniques, as a function of jovicentric longitude λIII. Following an impact all radiation peaks (both the main and high latitude emission peaks) usually shift inward, toward the planet, and brighten up; the first impact, however, triggered a decrease rather than an increase in the intensity of the radiation peaks. Although the high latitude regions always brighten, they do not brighten up as much as the main radiation peaks during the first few days of the impacts, whereas they brighten up significantly more than the main radiation peaks later in the impact week. The high latitude regions, in particular in the southern hemisphere, move slightly closer to the magnetic equator.

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