ARTEMIS Mark-IV,THE NEW GREEK–FRENCH DIGITAL RADIO SPECTROGRAPH AT THERMOPYLES,GREECE

We present the new digital solar radio spectrograph located at the Thermopyles station, Greece, operated by the University of Athens. Observations cover the range from 110 to 600 MHz, using a 7-m parabolic antenna. The reception system uses two techniques in parallel: sweep frequency and multi-channel, the latter being based on the Acousto-Optical technique. The data acquisition system is based on two subsystems, a Sun Sparc-5 workstation and a front end based on a VME Motorola system. The two subsystems are connected through the Ethernet and are operated using the VxWorks real-time package. The daily operation is completely automated: pointing of the antenna to the sun, starting and stopping the observations at pre-set times, acquiring data, compressing data by silence suppression in real time, and archiving the data on a routine manner on DAT tapes. Apart from its usual function, this instrument will be used in conjunction with other instruments, including the Nançay decameter array and the low frequency radio receivers on the Wind spacecraft.     

Infrared Spectroscopy of Jupiter's Atmosphere after the A and E Impacts of Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9

Infrared spectra of Jupiter's atmosphere were obtained with the infrared spectrometer (IRS) on the 1.5-m telescope at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) during the first 2 days of the impacts of the fragments of Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9 (1993e). We monitored 3.51 ± 0.17 μm radiation from the impact areas, undisturbed areas, and auroral regions of Jupiter after the A and E impacts. The strong emission of a portion of the P-branch of the ν₃band of CH₄was detected on the A impact area 4 hr after the impact. H⁺₃emissions are found to be decreased at the A and E impact sites after 4 hr and 10 hr 50 min of the impacts, respectively, compared with undisturbed areas at the same latitude. The temperatures of the southern H⁺₃aurora were normal within the first several hours following the A and E impacts.