Jupiter will be Bombarded by Debris until September
Between July 22 and at least the last week
of September Jupiter will be bombarded by the debris that populated
the comet's west-southwestern trail. Between July 27 and Sept. 22
the impact sites will be located on the planet's near side as viewed
from the earth. The collisions will occur at a decreasing pace both
in terms of the event rate and the characteristic size of the
individual particulates. We estimate that this debris consists of
centimeter- to subkilometer-sized fragments, so that explosive
phenomena triggered by the impact events will be much less powerful
than those associated with impacts of the major fragments. Yet,
searches for both possible individual events and any collective effects
are encouraged. Our model predicts that the jovicentric latitude of
the impacts will vary from -44 deg in late July to +42 deg in late
September. The earth-Jupiter-impact site angle will reach its
minimum of 69 deg on Sept. 3, at which time the impact geometry will be
the most favorable for earth-based observers. All impacts will be near
Jupiter's morning (eastern) limb. After Sept. 22 the impact sites
move back to the far side, but by that time the impact rate will have
diminished considerably and Jupiter will be approaching conjunction
with the sun.
Z. Sekanina, P. W. Chodas and D. K. Yeomans
Jet Propulsion
Laboratory
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