INFRARED-SPECTROSCOPY OF JUPITER ATMOSPHERE AFTER THE A-IMPACT AND E-IMPACT OF COMET SHOEMAKER-LEVY-9

Infrared spectra of Jupiter's atmosphere were obtained with the infrar ed spectrometer (IRS) on the 1.5-m telescope at the Cerro Tololo Inter -American Observatory (CTIO) during the first 2 days of the impacts of the fragments of Comet Shoemaker-levy 9 (1993e), We monitored 3.51 +/ - 0.17 mu m radiation from the impact areas, undisturbed areas, and au roral regions of Jupiter after the A and E impacts, The strong emissio n of a portion of the P-branch of the nu(3) band of CH4 was detected o n the A impact area 4 hr after the impact. H-3(+) emissions are found to be decreased at the A and E impact sites after 4 hr and 10 hr 50 mi n of the impacts, respectively, compared with undisturbed areas at the same latitude, The temperatures of the southern H-3(+) aurora were no rmal within the first several hours following the A and E impacts. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.