Jupiter Radiation Is More Severe

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) - The natural radio emissions coming from Jupiter's radiation belts were measured by an Italian-built antenna on the Cassini spacecraft when it flew past the planet in December.

The data, reported Wednesday, actually showed lower levels of the highest-energy electrons but forced scientists to increase their estimates of the amounts of electrons with slightly lower energy levels.

While not as deadly, the slightly less energetic electrons would still threaten the electronics on any spacecraft within 200,000 miles of Jupiter.

``We got some surprises,' said Scott Bolton, a physicist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

The radiation is not measurable from Earth or any previous spacecraft to visit Jupiter.

NASA has no firm plans to send a spacecraft close in to Jupiter, although scientists have proposed a mission called INSIDE Jupiter to launch in 2003 and reach the planet in 2011. During its 15-month mission, the probe would travel within 2,500 miles of the planet.

Scientists have long known about the harsh radiation environment at Jupiter. NASA's Galileo spacecraft has endured more than three times the radiation exposure it was designed to withstand since arriving in orbit around Jupiter in 1995.

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