Cassini ISS astrometric observations of the inner jovian satellites, Amalthea and Thebe

We present a total of 289 new astrometric observations of the inner jovian satellites, Amalthea and Thebe, obtained using the Cassini ISS narrow angle camera. Observations were made using image sequences from 2000 December 11–12 (inbound) and 2001 January 15–16 (outbound), at phase angles of approximately 2° and 122°, respectively. Target distances were of order 284 RJ, giving a maximum resolution of approximately 100 km/pixel. Centroided line and sample values for 239 observations of Amalthea and 50 of Thebe are provided, together with estimated camera pointing information for each image. Orbit fitting using a uniformly precessing Keplerian ellipse model, taking into account the oblateness of Jupiter up to terms in J6, gave RMS fit residuals of 0.364 and 0.443 pixel for Amalthea and Thebe, respectively (equivalent to 0.450 and 0.547 arcsec). RMS residuals relative to the JPL JUP230 ephemeris were 0.306 and 0.604 pixel (equivalent to 0.378 and 0.746 arcsec), for Amalthea and Thebe. The fitted orbital parameters confirm the relatively high inclinations of these satellites (0.374°±0.002°0.374°±0.002° and 1.076°±0.003°1.076°±0.003°, respectively), equivalent to maximum vertical displacements above Jupiter's equatorial plane of 1188±61188±6 and 4240±12 km4240±12 km, respectively, consistent with current estimates of the half-thicknesses of the Amalthea and Thebe gossamer rings [Ockert-Bell, M.E., Burns, J.A., Dauber, I.J., Thomas, P.C., Veverka, J., Belton, M.J.S., Klaasen, K.P., 1999. Icarus 138, 188–213].