Theoretical work on auroral current systems at the outer planets

Details Theoretical work on auroral current systems at the outer planets Theoretical work on auroral current systems at the outer planets

Dec 2008

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008agufmsm33c..01p&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2008, abstract #SM33C-01

Physics

2704 Auroral Phenomena (2407), 2721 Field-Aligned Currents And Current Systems (2409), 2756 Planetary Magnetospheres (5443, 5737, 6033)

Scientific paper

This talk will review the current generation systems thought to be responsible for producing aurora in outer planet magnetospheres. Auroral emissions at Jupiter and Saturn exhibit some features that are qualitatively different from those observed at Earth. Along with solar wind-driven aurora apparent at the highest latitudes, these rapidly rotating magnetospheres exhibit the effects of purely internal current systems that have no ready terrestrial counterpart. For example, emissions at Jupiter are dominated by a steady, persistent main oval produced by currents that attempt to enforce corotation with the planet. In the absence of these currents, outward moving plasma from the Io torus would slow to a very low angular velocity, in conflict with spacecraft observations of substantially higher values. Saturn has a main auroral oval that intermittently assumes a distinct spiral pattern, but its cause is an ongoing subject of debate. Jupiter also exhibits sharply localized aurora at the magnetic footprints of the three inner Galilean satellites. This is a rare example of an auroral system where emissions can be associated unambiguously with specific drivers in precisely known remote locations.

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