Jovian X-ray aurora and energetic oxygen ion precipitation

The X-ray line spectra of highly charged oxygen ions excited by charge transfer interaction with the molecular hydrogen in the auroral atmosphere of Jupiter are calculated. The calculations utilize our calculated cross sections of state-selective charge transfer and the available cross-section data of ionization and stripping. Comparison of these spectra with high-resolution spectral observations may provide a sensitive probe of the characteristics of the heavy ions precipitating into the Jovian auroral atmosphere. On the basis of the much higher X-ray efficiency of heavy ions than of electrons, it is concluded that the Jovian aurora may be accounted for by a combination of energetic heavy-ion precipitation and energetic electron precipitation, which produces the auroral X-ray and ultraviolet emissions, respectively.