TEMPORAL CHANGES IN THE NORTH-SOUTH ASYMMETRY OF POLARIZED-LIGHT OF JUPITER MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMET SL9 VISIT TO THE JOVIAN SYSTEM

Polarimetric observations of Jupiter at blue wavelengths were taken du ring the comet SL9 collision with the planet and compared with seven o ther observations made during the period from 1981 to 1995. The data s how temporal variations in the north-south asymmetry of polarization o f high latitudes. Before 1993-1994 the polarization degree near the no rth limb is greater than that for the symmetrical regions near the sou th limb. In the July 1994 data the difference between the polarization degrees at north and south vanished. The observations of 1995 show th e degree of polarization at south latitudes to be greater than that at the same north latitudes. These changes may be related to the increas e of dust abundance in the magnetosphere and stratosphere of Jupiter o wing to the visit of comet SL9 to the Jovian system. However, correlat ion between temporal variations of the polarization asymmetry and the magnetic solar cycle cannot be ruled out. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Lt d. Ail rights reserved.