Predicting CO Cameron‐Band Auroral Emission at Venus Using VEx Electron Observations

Xu, Shaosui; Frahm, Rudy A.; Ma, Yingjuan; Mitchell, David L.; Luhmann, Janet G.; Gérard, Jean-Claude; Soret, Lauriane; Lillis, Robert J.

doi:10.1029/2025gl115255

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Predicting CO Cameron‐Band Auroral Emission at Venus Using VEx Electron Observations

Xu, Shaosui; Frahm, Rudy A.; Ma, Yingjuan et al.

2025 • In Geophysical Research Letters, 52 (9)

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https://hdl.handle.net/2268/331570

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10.1029/2025gl115255

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Keywords :

Venus; aurora; UV; cameron; electron; energy

Abstract :

[en] AbstractVarious types of auroral emissions have been observed at (partially) magnetized planets (e.g., Earth, Jupiter, and Mars). Auroral emissions have also been observed at Venus, an unmagnetized planet, by the Pioneer Venus Orbiter (PVO) and ground‐based telescopes. By applying a linear relation, this study predicts the possible CO Cameron‐band emission brightness at Venus using electron observations from Venus Express (VEx). Our results suggest that to produce the PVO observations, electron acceleration is not required as in the case of discrete aurorae at magnetized planets; rather, the magnetic access of precipitating electrons to the lower atmosphere is the more limiting factor for auroral occurrence. This study helps better understand how aurorae can occur at an unmagnetized planet, in contrast to magnetized planets. It also has implications for future Venus mission design: auroral imaging can serve as a remote sensing tool to characterize the magnetization state of the Venus nightside atmosphere.

Research Center/Unit :

STAR - Space sciences, Technologies and Astrophysics Research - ULiège

Disciplines :

Space science, astronomy & astrophysics

Author, co-author :

Xu, Shaosui ; Space Sciences Laboratory University of California Berkeley CA USA

Frahm, Rudy A. ; Southwest Research Institute San Antonio TX USA

Ma, Yingjuan ; Department of Earth Planetary and Space Sciences University of California Los Angeles CA USA

Mitchell, David L. ; Space Sciences Laboratory University of California Berkeley CA USA

Luhmann, Janet G. ; Space Sciences Laboratory University of California Berkeley CA USA

Gérard, Jean-Claude ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophysique, géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Labo de physique atmosphérique et planétaire (LPAP)

Soret, Lauriane ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophysique, géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Labo de physique atmosphérique et planétaire (LPAP) ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Unités de recherche interfacultaires > Space sciences, Technologies and Astrophysics Research (STAR)

Lillis, Robert J. ; Space Sciences Laboratory University of California Berkeley CA USA

Language :

English

Title :

Predicting CO Cameron‐Band Auroral Emission at Venus Using VEx Electron Observations

Publication date :

05 May 2025

Journal title :

Geophysical Research Letters

ISSN :

0094-8276

eISSN :

1944-8007

Publisher :

American Geophysical Union (AGU)

Volume :

Issue :

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Additional URL :

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1029/2025GL115255

Funders :

NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration
F.R.S.-FNRS - Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique

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since 12 May 2025

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