Io's Interaction with the Jovian Magnetosphere: Models of Particle Acceleration and Scattering

Details Io's Interaction with the Jovian Magnetosphere: Models of Particle Acceleration and Scattering Io's Interaction with the Jovian Magnetosphere: Models of Particle Acceleration and Scattering

Sep 1998

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1998phdt........25c&link_type=abstract

Thesis (PHD). UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO AT BOULDER , Source DAI-B 59/03, p. 1175, Sep 1998, 147 pages.

Physics

Scientific paper

I develop models of electron acceleration and ion scattering which result from Io's interaction with the jovian magnetosphere. According to my models, Io initially generates transient currents and an Alfvenic disturbance when it first encounters a jovian magnetic field line, and the interaction would eventually settle into a system of steady Birkeland currents as the field line is advected downstream past Io and into Io's wake. I derive a model of wave propagation and electron acceleration by the Alfvenic transient, due to electron inertial effects. My numerical calculations show that the power and particle energy of the resulting electron beam are consistent with observations of the Io-related auroral spot and of Jupiter's S-burst decametric emissions. In the case of the steady currents and Io's wake. I show that these currents would drive instabilities and argue that electrostatic double layers would form in the high latitudes of the Io/Io wake flux tubes. I examine the role of these double layers in producing energetic electrons and estimate the likely electron energies and power. This model agrees with observations of a long arc in the jovian aurora, extending away from the Io-related spot, the L-burst decametric radio emissions and electron beams observed by the Galileo spacecraft in Io's wake. Finally, I consider the Galileo observations of ion cyclotron waves near Io. I use the absence of waves near the S and O gyrofrequencies to place limits on the source rate of heavy ions near Io. For a sufficiently low source rate, the thermal core population prevents ion cyclotron instabilities and wave growth. I use these limits to constrain the neutral column density of Io's exosphere and amount of plasma produced within 2 to 10 body radii of Io.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Io's Interaction with the Jovian Magnetosphere: Models of Particle Acceleration and Scattering 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 Io's Interaction with the Jovian Magnetosphere: Models of Particle Acceleration and Scattering, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Io's Interaction with the Jovian Magnetosphere: Models of Particle Acceleration and Scattering will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1054563