Discovery of $${{\bf{H}}}_{\mathbf{3}}^{\mathbf{+}}$$ and infrared aurorae at Neptune with JWST

IF 14.3 1区物理与天体物理 Q1 ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS

Nature Astronomy Pub Date : 2025-03-26 DOI:10.1038/s41550-025-02507-9

Henrik Melin, Luke Moore, Leigh N. Fletcher, Heidi B. Hammel, James O’Donoghue, Tom S. Stallard, Stephanie N. Milam, Michael Roman, Oliver R. T. King, Naomi Rowe-Gurney, Emma E. Thomas, Ruoyan Wang, Paola I. Tiranti, Jake Harkett, Katie L. Knowles

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Emissions from the upper-atmospheric molecular ion ${{\rm{H}}}_{3}^{+}$ have been used to study the global-scale interactions of Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus with their surrounding space environments for over 30 years, revealing the processes shaping the aurorae. However, despite repeated attempts, and contrary to models that predict it should be present, this ion has proven elusive at Neptune. Here, using observations from the James Webb Space Telescope, we detect ${{\rm{H}}}_{3}^{+}$ at Neptune, as well as distinct infrared southern auroral emissions. The average upper-atmosphere temperature is a factor of two cooler than those derived 34 years ago by Voyager 2, showing that the energy balance of this region is regulated by physical processes acting on a timescale shorter than both Neptunian seasons (40 yr) and the solar cycle.

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用JWST在海王星上发现$${{\bf{H}}}_{\mathbf{3}}^{\mathbf{+}}$$和红外极光

30 多年来，大气层上层分子离子（{{\rm{H}}}_{3}^{+}/）的发射一直被用来研究木星、土星和天王星与其周围空间环境的全球尺度相互作用，揭示形成极光的过程。然而，尽管进行了反复尝试，而且与预测它应该存在的模型相反，这种离子在海王星却被证明是难以捉摸的。在这里，利用詹姆斯-韦伯太空望远镜的观测，我们在海王星探测到了${\rm{H}}}_{3}^{+}$，以及明显的南极光红外辐射。高层大气的平均温度比旅行者2号34年前得出的温度低两倍，这表明该区域的能量平衡是由物理过程调节的，其时间尺度比海王星季节（40年）和太阳周期都要短。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Nature Astronomy Physics and Astronomy-Astronomy and Astrophysics

CiteScore

19.50

自引率

2.80%

发文量

252

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