HST IMAGING OF ATMOSPHERIC PHENOMENA CREATED BY THE IMPACT OF COMET SHOEMAKER-LEVY-9

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