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Radio JOVE Experiments

Note:  All times and dates on this page are UTC.  All Reeve Observatory charts and sound files below were recorded from Radio SkyPipe II.  The sound files were processed using GoldWave.  It is best to listen to the sound files while in a quiet room or with headphones. 

Noise bursts from Jupiter are classified as L-bursts and S-bursts: 

• L-bursts sound like ocean surf on a beach and can have a swishing sound 
• S-Bursts sound like pebbles thrown on a tin roof or the snapping and popping sound of cooking popcorn. Each S-burst lasts for a few thousandths of a second.  S-bursts occur at rates as high as several dozen per second

Investigators have determined that probabilities of detecting Jupiter emissions strongly depend on the following factors (see definitions below table):

• Jovian Central Meridian Longitude (CML)

• Io Phase

• Jovicentric declination of the Earth (D_e)

The combinations of CML and Io phase values that have increased probabilities are called Sources. The sources are named Io-A, Io-B, and Io-C for the Io-controlled (or Io-enhanced) emissions and A, B, and C for the Non-Io-controlled emissions. Emissions are more likely to be received for higher (more positive) D_e. D_e varies from about -3.3 to +3.3 degrees over an 11 year cycle due to the changing Earth and Jupiter geometry as they orbit the Sun at different rates. The next positive peak is in 2012.

Definitions:

CML        The System III longitude of Jupiter facing the Earth at a certain time

Io Phase   The orbital position of Io with respect to Jupiter and Earth. The Io phase is 0 degrees when Io is directly behind Jupiter as seen from Earth. The Io phase increases as Io orbits until it becomes 180 degrees when Io crosses in front of Jupiter as seen from Earth

D_e             The declination (angular distance north or south of the celestial equator) of the Earth as seen from Jupiter

The above information was adapted from the following sources:

• NASA's Radio JOVE project: radiojove.gsfc.nasa.gov/

• University of Florida Radio Observatory (UFRO): ufro1.astro.ufl.edu/decframe.htm

• Radio-Sky Publishing: www.radiosky.com/dsube.html

Jupiter Io-A and Io-C storm of April 17, 2009

For this experiment, we used an Icom R-75 HF receiver tuned to 20.1 MHz (in LSB mode with AGC Off).  The antenna was a 3-element Yagi initially pointed 135 degrees true and rotated every 40-50 minutes to track Jupiter as it crossed the morning sky.

Click here for an audio recording corresponding to above chart (75 s, ~1.7 MB WAV file).  Listen for the characteristic surf or swishing sounds of L-bursts; there is a relatively strong burst toward the end of the file.
 

Additional RSP2 chart showing longer time scale

Jupiter Io-B storm of April 18, 2009

The experimental setup was identical to April 17, 2009 above.  Jupiter was tracked from 135 degrees true to 175 degrees true over a three hour period starting at 1440.

Click here for an audio recording corresponding to above chart (85 s, ~1.8 MB WAV file).  Listen for the S-bursts at the beginning and end.
 

Click here for an audio recording corresponding to above chart (100 s, ~2.2 MB WAV file).  Listen for the S-bursts at the beginning and middle of the file.
 

Click here for an audio recording corresponding to above chart (50 s, ~1.1 MB WAV file).  Listen for the strong L-bursts in the middle and end of the file.
 

Jupiter Io-B storm of September 5, 2009

For this experiment, we used an Icom R-75 HF receiver tuned to 20.1 MHz (in LSB mode with AGC Off).  The antenna was a 3-element Yagi pointed 210 degrees true (no tracking was used). At the time of the chart shown below (for Reeve Observatory), Jupiter was at an azimuth of approximately 214 degrees and and elevation of about 8 degrees above the horizon.

The composite chart below consists of three individual charts. The upper chart was recorded at our observatory using the setup described. The bottom two charts were recorded by the Eric Dodge Radio Observatory (EDRO) and Arthur's Creek Radio Observatory (ACkRO), both in Melbourne - Victoria, Australia, approximately 12,500 km southwest of our observatory. We are grateful to Clint Jeffrey, who provided the SkyPipe data for the lower charts.

The time correlation between the Reeve Observatory and EDRO is quite obvious, particularly between 1042 and 1053 UTC. Many of the same events can be seen on the ACkRO chart (bottom) but they are somewhat muted, and the large 1053 event at ACkRO is not quite as obvious at EDRO or Reeve Obervatory.

Click here for an audio recording corresponding to the ACkRO chart between approximately 1052:55 and 1053:30 (35 s, ~0.3 MB WAV file).  Listen for strong S-bursts. We are grateful to E.S. McCauley for this recording.
 

Jupiter Io-B storm of April 14, 2010

For this daytime experiment, we used the Radio Jove Receiver tuned to approximately 20.1 MHz.  The antenna was a 3-element Yagi pointed 111 degrees true (no tracking was used). At the time of the chart shown below (for Reeve Observatory). Jupiter was at an azimuth/elevations of approximately 142 degrees true and 18 degrees above the horizon.

Click here for an audio recording corresponding to the above chart (~45 s, ~2.5 MB WAV file).  Listen for weak L-bursts (swishing sound).

Jupiter Io-B storm of May 16, 2010

For this daytime experiment, we used the Icom R-75 HF Receiver tuned to 21.250 MHz (LSB). The antenna was a 3-element Yagi pointed 120 degrees true (no tracking was used). At the time of the charts shown below Jupiter was at azimuth/elevation of approximately 118 degrees true and 12 degrees above the horizon. For reference the first image is the Jupiter Radio Map showing the orientation of the Io-B enhanced source at the observation time. The second image shows about 20 minutes out of the total observation interval (1230 - 1530 UTC). The third image shows the 4 minute interval when bursting was most active. The final image shows the 35 second interval corresponding to the audio file immediately below. The recorded bursts were mostly L-bursts.

Click here for an audio recording corresponding to the above chart (~35 s, ~1.7 MB WAV file).  Listen for L-bursts (swishing sound).