St. Durrance et al., NEUTRAL SULFUR EMISSION FROM THE IO TORUS MEASURED WITH THE HOPKINS-ULTRAVIOLET-TELESCOPE, The Astrophysical journal, 447(1), 1995, pp. 408-415
During the Astro 1 mission in 1990 December, ultraviolet spectra of th
e Io plasma torus were obtained using the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescop
e. These spectra cover a wavelength range of 830-1860 Angstrom in firs
t order and 415-930 Angstrom in second order. Two separate observation
s were made. Observation 1, which nominally contained Io within the ap
erture, centered a 17 '' x 116 '' aperture on the west ansa of the tor
us, while observation 2, which excluded Io, centered a 9 ''.4 x 116 ''
aperture on the east ansa. Emission from the S I lambda 1479 multiple
t is detected in both observations. The spectral width of this emissio
n in observation 1 is too broad to be completely associated with Io. T
he best-fit is obtained with a narrow (3.0 Angstrom) emission associat
ed with Io and a broad (6.1 Angstrom) emission associated with the tor
us. The derived emission rate from Io is consistent with IUE observati
ons of Io and shows that only similar to 33% of the S I emission measu
red by HUT can be accounted for as emission from Io. The rest of this
emission is due to a diffuse neutral sulfur component of the torus. Th
e detection of S I emission in observation 2 sets a lower limit to the
angular extent of the neutral sulfur component of the torus to at lea
st 20 degrees in front of Io. Emission from the S I lambda 1429 multip
let is also detected in observation 1 and marginally detected in obser
vation 2. Emission from the S I lambda 1814 multiplet was not detected
in either observation but the derived upper limits are consistent wit
h the expected flux based on the IUE measurements of Io. Observation 1
also shows emission from the S I lambda 1389 multiplet and a strong n
arrow line at 1398.7 Angstrom, which is tentatively identified with th
e S I lambda 1405 multiplet. The lambda 1389 and 1405 emissions are no
t present in observation 2. A comparison of S I multiplet emission rat
ios from Io with laboratory results does not support either e + S or e
+ SO2 as the excitation mechanism for neutral sulfur emission from Io
.