Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling at Jupiter

Details Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling at Jupiter Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling at Jupiter

May 2006

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006agusm.p43b..01b&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2007, abstract #P43B-01

Physics

5737 Magnetospheres (2756), 2740 Magnetospheric Configuration And Dynamics, 2756 Planetary Magnetospheres (5443, 5737, 6033), 2760 Plasma Convection (2463)

Scientific paper

Measurements indicate that throughout most of the magnetosphere of Jupiter the plasma flow is dominated by rotation. This indicates that the magnetosphere is strongly coupled to the planet. Rotation confines the plasma towards the equator, the bulk motion is predominately rotational (albeit lagging behind rigid corotation) and Jupiter's atmosphere is the main source of energy. Previous studies have assumed that the momentum transfer is limited by finite Pedersen conductivity in Jupiter's ionosphere, assuming that any effect of parallel electric field is negligible. Alternatively, we propose that the low plasma density at high latitude limits the flow of currents that couple the equatorial plasma to the planet's polar regions and that field-aligned potential structures are critical in the decoupling of the equatorial plasma from Jupiter. Furthermore, high densities and low magnetic fields in the plasma sheet result in low Alfven speeds and long travel times for Alfven waves between equator and the ionosphere. At larger distances from the planet, particularly on the dusk/night side, the time scale for Alfven waves to couple the plasma sheet to the jovian atmosphere becomes larger than the time scale for outward expansion. In this regime the magnetospheric plasma may be weakly coupled to the planet. We have developed an empirical model of the Alfven velocity in the magnetosphere of Jupiter and estimate the Alfven travel time between the equator and ionosphere as functions of local time and radial distance.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling at Jupiter does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling at Jupiter, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling at Jupiter will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1025175