Time variations of the Jovian synchrotron radiation following the collisional impacts of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9

Abstract

Abstract The collisional interaction of the dust cloud associated with the nuclei- fragment chain of Comet Shoemakep-Levy 9 with the Jovian ring complex might lead to an increase of the ring mass. We estimate that the ring mass increase as a result of surface bombardment of the two inner satellites, Adrastea and Metis, could be relatively small and the upper limit should be 2 × 10 11 −10 12 g which is near the lower limit of the mass of the current Jovian ring. An increase in the ring mass, if significant, could produce observable reduction in the synchrotron radiation from energetic electrons as a result of the enhancement in tbe charged particle absorption effect. The resulting time variations of the radio emissions should also be diagnostic of the radial diffusion process near Jupiter.