Dataset for "Europa is embedded in non-Maxwellian, anisotropic electron distributions" (2026)
Abstract
In September 2022, the Juno spacecraft flew by Europa, providing new insight into the electron pitch angle and energy distributions via the Jovian Auroral Distributions Experiment electron analyzers (JADE-E). We fit these observations with two anisotropic kappa distributions (cold and hot), accounting for spacecraft potential, which we find to be between -10V and -18V, indicating that dust grains near Europa's orbit are similarly charged. We find these distributions to be non-Maxwellian and often anisotropic, exhibiting substructure with ~20 km spatial resolution, providing constrained reaction rates and pathways within Europa’s atmosphere. We further provide constraints on the emission of UV photons from electrons impacts, finding near constant 1356Å/1304Å line ratios from O2, H2O and O. The electron beams, wake, and upstream/downstream regions all exhibit distinct characteristics across density, temperature, anisotropy, and thermodynamic kappa, illuminating the complexity of Europa's magnetospheric interaction.
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
- Publication date
- 9 March 2026
- Language
- EN
- Document type
- Dataset