Observations of Low-Frequency Radio Emission from Jupiter and Io with the ASTRA Radio Telescope.

A new low-frequency radio telescope has recently been constructed on the campus of SUNY Old Westbury, the All Sky Transient Radio Array (ASTRA). We will discuss the construction of the receiver and antenna system that make up the instrument and summarize ASTRA’s “first-light” observations of low-frequency radio transient emission from Jupiter and its moon Io. The moon Io is a planet-sized object orbiting Jupiter and is one of the most volcanically active objects in the solar system. This volcanic emission blasts large amounts of electrically charged dust into Io’s atmosphere, which is pulled into Jupiter’s strong magnetic field. The charged particles travel along the magnetic field’s lines in a cyclical pattern between the magnetic poles of Jupiter, and Io generates a strong intermittent low-frequency radio emission. The implications of these observations, understanding the Jovian system’s magnetic field, and Io’s volcanic activity will be discussed.