Wed Jul 20 17:13:01 1994
Direct impact observations: Galileo PPR results for Event L
The Photopolarimeter Radiometer on the Galileo spacecraft observed Jupiter for
18 minutes during a period corresponding to earthbased observation times of UTC
200/22:09 to 200/22:27 for event L. The PPR has a single field of view that is
about 4 times the size of Jupiter. A filter at 945 nm was used for these
observations; the sample time was 0.4 sec.
The L impact was seen at UTC 22:16:48. The brightness corresponds to about 4% the brightness of Jupiter itself. The signal rises to peak value in about 2 sec and then decreases over 35 sec to background levels. The shape of the light curve is very similar to that seen earlier for event H.
Galileo is positioned to see the impact sites directly, at a distance of 240 million km; the phase angle of Jupiter is 51 degrees.
Terry Z. Martin, Leslie K. Tamppari, and I. Claypool JPL L. Travis, A. Lacis, and J. Hansen GISS, New York