Oscillating ion streamline model of Jupiter's neutral sodium nebula

Abstract

Recent observations of neutral sodium D line emissions within 10 jovian radii (R J) of Jupiter have led to the proposal of a new mechanism for the production of fast neutral sodium. The mechanism involves corotating, sodium-bearing molecular ions from Io's exosphere which undergo dissociation and/or dissociative recombination, resulting in fast neutral sodium atoms on escape trajectories from Jupiter. Fast neutral sodium atoms ejected near Io are also required to explain observations of the 1000 R J-wide neutral sodium nebula surrounding Jupiter. A new Monte Carlo model explicitly computes particle trajectories resulting from molecular ion velocities at the time of dissociation or dissociative recombination. Initial simulations compare favorably with the general morphology of the nebula. Model estimates of nebula parameters are given.