O2 on ganymede: Spectral characteristics and plasma formation mechanisms

Weak absorption features in the visible reflectance spectrum of Jupiter's satellite Ganymede have been correlated to those observed in the spectrum of molecular oxygen. We examine the spectral characteristics of these absorption features in all phases of O₂ and conclude that the molecular oxygen is most likely present at densities similar to the liquid or solid γ-phase. The contribution of O₂ to spectral features observed on Ganymede in the near-infrared wavelength region affects the previous estimates of photon pathlength in ice. The concentration of the visible absorption features on the trailing hemisphere of Ganymede suggests an origin due to bombardment by magnetospheric ions. We derive an approximate O₂ formation rate from this mechanism and consider the state of O₂ within the surface.