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Zhang B, Delamere PA, Yao Z, Bonfond B, Lin D, Sorathia KA, Brambles OJ, Lotko W, Garretson JS, Merkin VG, Grodent D, Dunn WR, Lyon JG. How Jupiter's unusual magnetospheric topology structures its aurora. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/15/eabd1204. [PMID: 33837073 PMCID: PMC8034855 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abd1204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Jupiter's bright persistent polar aurora and Earth's dark polar region indicate that the planets' magnetospheric topologies are very different. High-resolution global simulations show that the reconnection rate at the interface between the interplanetary and jovian magnetic fields is too slow to generate a magnetically open, Earth-like polar cap on the time scale of planetary rotation, resulting in only a small crescent-shaped region of magnetic flux interconnected with the interplanetary magnetic field. Most of the jovian polar cap is threaded by helical magnetic flux that closes within the planetary interior, extends into the outer magnetosphere, and piles up near its dawnside flank where fast differential plasma rotation pulls the field lines sunward. This unusual magnetic topology provides new insights into Jupiter's distinctive auroral morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binzheng Zhang
- Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- Laboratory for Space Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- High Altitude Observatory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Peter A Delamere
- Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
| | - Zhonghua Yao
- Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Bertrand Bonfond
- LPAP, Space sciences, Technologies and Astrophysics Research (STAR), Institute Université de Liége (ULiége), Liége, Belgium
| | - D Lin
- High Altitude Observatory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Kareem A Sorathia
- Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD, USA
| | | | - William Lotko
- High Altitude Observatory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, USA
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Jeff S Garretson
- Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD, USA
| | | | - Denis Grodent
- LPAP, Space sciences, Technologies and Astrophysics Research (STAR), Institute Université de Liége (ULiége), Liége, Belgium
| | - William R Dunn
- Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Dorking, UK
| | - John G Lyon
- Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD, USA
- Gamera Consulting, Hanover, NH, USA
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Gladstone GR, Stern SA, Slater DC, Versteeg M, Davis MW, Retherford KD, Young LA, Steffl AJ, Throop H, Parker JW, Weaver HA, Cheng AF, Orton GS, Clarke JT, Nichols JD. Jupiter's Nightside Airglow and Aurora. Science 2007; 318:229-31. [DOI: 10.1126/science.1147613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- G. Randall Gladstone
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78238, USA
- NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546, USA
- Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - S. Alan Stern
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78238, USA
- NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546, USA
- Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - David C. Slater
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78238, USA
- NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546, USA
- Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Maarten Versteeg
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78238, USA
- NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546, USA
- Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Michael W. Davis
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78238, USA
- NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546, USA
- Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Kurt D. Retherford
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78238, USA
- NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546, USA
- Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Leslie A. Young
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78238, USA
- NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546, USA
- Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Andrew J. Steffl
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78238, USA
- NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546, USA
- Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Henry Throop
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78238, USA
- NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546, USA
- Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Joel Wm. Parker
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78238, USA
- NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546, USA
- Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Harold A. Weaver
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78238, USA
- NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546, USA
- Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Andrew F. Cheng
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78238, USA
- NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546, USA
- Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Glenn S. Orton
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78238, USA
- NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546, USA
- Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - John T. Clarke
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78238, USA
- NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546, USA
- Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Jonathan D. Nichols
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78238, USA
- NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546, USA
- Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
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