Revealing Callisto’s Carbon-rich Surface and CO2 Atmosphere with JWST

Abstract

We analyzed spectral cubes of Callisto’s leading and trailing hemispheres, collected with the NIRSpec Integrated Field Unit (G395H) on the James Webb Space Telescope. These spatially resolved data show strong 4.25 μ m absorption bands resulting from solid-state ^12 CO _2 , with the strongest spectral features at low latitudes near the center of its trailing hemisphere, consistent with radiolytic production spurred by magnetospheric plasma interacting with native H _2 O mixed with carbonaceous compounds. We detected CO _2 rovibrational emission lines between 4.2 and 4.3 μ m over both hemispheres, confirming the global presence of CO _2 gas in Callisto’s tenuous atmosphere. These results represent the first detection of CO _2 gas over Callisto’s trailing side. The distribution of CO _2 gas is offset from the subsolar region on either hemisphere, suggesting that sputtering, radiolysis, and geologic processes help sustain Callisto’s atmosphere. We detected a 4.38 μ m absorption band that likely results from solid-state ^13 CO _2 . A prominent 4.57 μ m absorption band that might result from CN-bearing organics is present and significantly stronger on Callisto’s leading hemisphere, unlike ^12 CO _2 , suggesting these two spectral features are spatially antiassociated. The distribution of the 4.57 μ m band is more consistent with a native origin and/or accumulation of dust from Jupiter’s irregular satellites. Other, more subtle absorption features could result from CH-bearing organics, CO, carbonyl sulfide, and Na-bearing minerals. These results highlight the need for preparatory laboratory work and improved surface–atmosphere interaction models to better understand carbon chemistry on the icy Galilean moons before the arrival of NASA’s Europa Clipper and ESA’s JUICE spacecraft.

Keywords

• Infrared spectroscopy
• Galilean satellites
• Callisto
• James Webb Space Telescope
• Natural satellite atmospheres
• Natural satellite surfaces