Jupiter and the Dual Dipole Radio Telescope

w/ Evan Warburton

abstract

Did you know that Jupiter produces radio signals? With materials from the hardware store and a couple months’ dedication, anyone can detect them. Understanding Jupiter’s magnetic field is an interesting and active topic in astrophysics research, but it isn’t reserved for the professionals alone. The Radio Jove project is an international collaboration of amateur radio astronomers who build receivers to collect data. This citizen science project is important in helping us learn, because to this day, our understanding of the physical processes which produce these signals is limited. It is thought that charged particles originating in the volcanic eruptions on Jupiter’s moon Io interact with Jupiter’s magnetic field, and in turn release energy around the 20 MHz frequency. But what more can be discovered from observing these emissions? It seems the more we find out, the more questions we have. Get ready to explore the planet Jupiter at the radio level!

bio

As a recent Oak Bay High School graduate, Evan is an amateur radio astronomer and will be attending the University of Victoria this fall in pursuit of a BSc in Physics. Physics and astronomy have been a longtime interest of his, and throughout his Grade 12 year he ran an astronomy club at school. He is not sure where he’ll end up in science, but wherever it is he knows he’ll enjoy his work.