HST imaging of atmospheric phenomena created by the impact of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9

H B Hammel; R F Beebe; A P Ingersoll; G S Orton; J R Mills; A A Simon; P Chodas; J T Clarke; E De Jong; T E Dowling

doi:10.1126/science.7871425

HST imaging of atmospheric phenomena created by the impact of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9

Science. 1995 Mar 3;267(5202):1288-96. doi: 10.1126/science.7871425.

Authors

H B Hammel¹, R F Beebe, A P Ingersoll, G S Orton, J R Mills, A A Simon, P Chodas, J T Clarke, E De Jong, T E Dowling, et al.

Affiliation

¹ Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge 02139.

PMID: 7871425
DOI: 10.1126/science.7871425

Abstract

Hubble Space Telescope (HST) images reveal major atmospheric changes created by the collision of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 with Jupiter. Plumes rose to 3000 kilometers with ejection velocities on the order of 10 kilometers second-1; some plumes were visible in the shadow of Jupiter before rising into sunlight. During some impacts, the incoming bolide may have been detected. Impact times were on average about 8 minutes later than predicted. Atmospheric waves were seen with a wave front speed of 454 +/- 20 meters second-1. The HST images reveal impact site evolution and record the overall change in Jupiter's appearance as a result of the bombardment.

Publication types

Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Atmosphere
Extraterrestrial Environment*
Jupiter*
Solar System*