Does Io's ionosphere influence Jupiter's radio bursts.

Goldreich and Lynden-Bell's theory of Jupiter's Io-correlated decametric radiation sets a lower limit to Io's conductivity, high enough to carry the current associated with the radiated power. Dermott's analysis of conductivities of rocks and ice shows no such conductivity at Io's temperature. However, we show that if Io has even a small atmosphere, say of methane as suggested by Binder and Cruikshank, or of argon or nitrogen, it will have an ionosphere with adequate conductivity to meet the above criterion. A requirement for higher conductivity was found by Goldreich and Lynden-Bell on the basis of motion of magnetic lines past Io. This requirement appears to us unnecessary in view of experiments which prove that motion of the lines is not the source of the electromotance.