High resolution imaging of Jupiter's diffuse auroral emissions inside and outside the main oval during solar minimum.

The analysis of HST-STIS FUV images has greatly and quickly advanced our knowledge of the magnetospheric mechanisms producing the auroral emissions on the giant planets. However, these studies were limited to the brightest emissions and very little has been said about the fainter emissions, mainly because of the lower S/N. We propose to image the faint auroral emissions on Jupiter which could not be observed with STIS. We will take full advantage of ACS/SBC's higher sensitivity to observe the diffuse auroral FUV emissions appearing poleward and directly equatorward of Jupiter's main auroral oval in the northern hemisphere. This proposal has the potential to reveal new magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling mechanisms especially those involving solar wind interactions with a giant planet.