Publication Abstracts

Spencer et al. 1999

Spencer, J.R., L.K. Tamppari, and T.Z. Martin, 1999: Temperatures on Europa from Galileo Photopolarimeter-Radiometer: Nighttime thermal anomalies. Science, 284, 1514-1516, doi:10.1126/science.284.5419.1514.

Galileo observations of Europa's thermal emission show low-latitude diurnal brightness temperatures in the range of 86 to 132 kelvin. Nighttime temperatures form an unexpected pattern, with high temperatures on the bright ejecta blanket of the crater Pwyll and an equatorial minimum in temperatures after sunset, uncorrelated with surface albedo or geology. The nighttime anomalies may be due to regional thermal inertia variations of an unknown origin, which are equivalent to a two- to threefold variation in thermal conductivity, or to endogenic heat fluxes locally reaching 1 watt per square meter. Endogenic heat flow at this high level, although consistent with some geological evidence, is theoretically unlikely.

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BibTeX Citation

@article{sp00100k,
  author={Spencer, J. R. and Tamppari, L. K. and Martin, T. Z.},
  title={Temperatures on Europa from Galileo Photopolarimeter-Radiometer: Nighttime thermal anomalies},
  year={1999},
  journal={Science},
  volume={284},
  pages={1514--1516},
  doi={10.1126/science.284.5419.1514},
}

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RIS Citation

TY  - JOUR
ID  - sp00100k
AU  - Spencer, J. R.
AU  - Tamppari, L. K.
AU  - Martin, T. Z.
PY  - 1999
TI  - Temperatures on Europa from Galileo Photopolarimeter-Radiometer: Nighttime thermal anomalies
JA  - Science
JO  - Science
VL  - 284
SP  - 1514
EP  - 1516
DO  - 10.1126/science.284.5419.1514
ER  -

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