Abstract
Magnetized plasmas in motion inevitably generate currents and the magnetized plasmas that form the magnetospheres of the outer planets are no exception. Although a focus on the current systems tends to distract from the underlying dynamics, many elements of magnetospheric structure can be organized by discussing them in terms of the large scale currents present in the system. This paper starts with a digression on the pitfalls of a current-based description of a planetary magnetosphere but then proceeds to characterize the magnetospheres of Jupiter, Earth, and to some extent Saturn by the currents that flow within them. Emphasis is placed on the field-aligned currents that couple the equatorial magnetospheres to the ionospheres and the conditions that call for the development of field-aligned electric fields.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Angelopoulos, V., Baumjohann, W., Kennel, C.F., Coroniti, F.V., Kivelson, M.G., Pellat, R., Walker, R.J., Lühr, H., and Paschmann, G.: 1992, ‘Bursty bulk flows in the inner central plasma sheet’, J. Geophys. Res. 97, 4027–4039.
Angelopoulos, V., et al.: 1997, ‘Magnetotail flow bursts: association to global magnetospheric circulation, relationship to ionospheric activity, and direct evidence for localization’, Geophys. Res. Lett. 24, 2271–2275.
Baumjohann, W., Paschmann, G., and Lühr, H.: 1990, ‘Characteristics of high-speed ion flows in the plasma sheet’, J. Geophys. Res. 95, 3801–3809.
Cheng, A.F.: 1985, ‘Magnetospheric interchange instability’, J. Geophys. Res. 90, 9900–9904.
Cowley, S.W.H., Bunce, E.J., and O’Rourke, J.M.: 2004, ‘A simple quantitative model of plasma flows and currents in Saturn’s polar ionosphere’, J. Geophys. Res. 109(A05212), doi: 10.1029/2003JA010375.
Dungey, J.W.: 1961, ‘Interplanetary magnetic field and the auroral zones’, Phys. Rev. Lett. 6, 47–48.
Ergun, R.E., Carlson, C.W., McFadden, J.P., Mozer, F.S., and Strangeway, R.J.: 2000, ‘Parallel electric fields in discrete arcs’, Geophys. Res. Lett. 27, 4053–4057.
Escoubet, C.P., Fehringer, M., and Goldstein, M.: 2001, ‘The Cluster mission’, Annales Geophysicae 19, 1197–1200.
Giampieri, G. and Dougherty, M.K.: 2004, ‘Modelling of the ring current in Saturn’s magnetosphere’, Annales Geophysicae 22, 653–659.
Gladstone, G.R., et al.: 2002, ‘A pulsating auroral X-ray hot spot on Jupiter’, Nature 415, 1000–1003.
Grodent, D., Gérard, J.-C., Saglam, A., and Gustin, J.: 2004, ‘The main characteristics of Saturn’s UV aurora’, in EGU, Geophys. Res. Abs. 02250.
Hill, T.W.: 1979, ‘Inertial limit on corotation’, J. Geophys. Res. 84, 6554–6558.
Khurana, K.K.: 1997, ‘Euler potential models of Jupiter’s magnetospheric field’, J. Geophys. Res. 102, 11,295–11,306.
Kivelson, M.G. and Bagenal, F.: 1999, ‘Planetary magnetospheres’, in P.R. Weissman, L.-A. McFadden, and T.V. Johnson (eds.), Encyclopedia of the Solar System, Acad. Press, San Diego, pp. 477–497.
Kivelson, M.G., Bagenal, F., Kurth, W.S., Neubauer, F.M., Paranicas, C., and Saur, J.: 2004, ‘Magnetospheric interactions with satellites’, in F. Bagenal, T. Dowling, and W. McKinnon (eds.), Jupiter: The Planet, Satellites and Magnetosphere, Cambridge Univ. Press, New York, NY, in press.
Kivelson, M.G. and Southwood, D.J.: 2003, ‘Losing the Io plasma: Local time variations of Jupiter’s magnetospheric structure and the development of the outer magnetosphere maelstrom’, IGPP UCLA Publication # 5778, Los Angeles, CA.
Lyons, L., Nagai, T., Blanchard, G., Samson, J., Yamamoto, T., Mukai, T., Nishida, A., and Kokobun, S.: 1999, ‘Association between Geotail plasma flows and auroral poleward boundary intensifications observed by CANOPUS photometers’, J. Geophys. Res. 104, 4485–4500.
McPherron, R.L.: 1991, ‘Physical processes producing magnetospheric substorms and magnetic storms’, in J. Jacobs (ed.), Geomagnetism, Acad. Press, San Diego, pp. 593–639.
Pallier, L. and Prangé, R.: 2004, ‘Detection of the southern counterpart of the jovian northern polar cusp: Shared properties’, Geophys. Res. Lett. 31(6), Art. No. L06701.
Parker, E.N.: 1996, ‘The alternative paradigm for magnetospheric physics’, J. Geophys. Res. 101, 10,587–10,626.
Parker, E.N.: 2000, ‘Newton, Maxwell, and Magnetospheric Physics’, in: Magnetospheric Current Systems, AGU, Washington, DC.
Smith, E.J., Davis, J.L., and Jones, D.E.: 1976, ‘Jupiter’s magnetic field and magnetosphere’, in T. Gehrels (ed.), Jupiter, Studies of the interior, atmosphere, magnetosphere and satellites, Univ. Ariz. Press, Tucson, AZ, pp. 788.
Southwood, D.J. and Kivelson, M.G.: 1987, ‘Magnetospheric interchange instability’, J. Geophys. Res. 92, 109–116.
Southwood, D.J. and Kivelson, M.G.: 1989, ‘Magnetospheric interchange motions’, J. Geophys. Res. 94, 299–308.
Southwood, D.J. and Kivelson, M.G.: 2001, ‘A new perspective concerning the influence of the solar wind on the Jovian magnetosphere’, J. Geophys. Res. 106, 6123–6130.
Su, Y., Ergun, R., Bagenal, F., and Delamere, P.: 2003, ‘Io-related auroral arcs: Modelling parallel electric fields’, J. Geophys. Res. 108,Art. No. 1094.
Vasyliunas, V.M.: 1994, ‘Role of plasma acceleration time in the dynamics of the Jovian magnetosphere’, Geophys. Res. Lett. 21, 401–404.
Walker, R.J. and Russell, C.T.: 1995, ‘Solar-wind interactions with magnetized planets’, in M.G. Kivelson and C.T. Russell (eds.), Introduction to Space Physics, Cambridge University Press, New York, pp. 164–182.
Williams, D.J. and Thorne, R.M.: 2003, ‘Energetic particles over Io’s polar caps’, J. Geophys. Res. 108,Art. No. 1397.
Wolf, R.A.: 1995, ‘Magnetospheric configuration’, in M.G. Kivelson and C.T. Russell (eds.), Introduction to Space Physics, Cambridge University Press, New York, pp. 288–329.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2005 Springer
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Kivelson, M.G. (2005). The Current Systems of the Jovian Magnetosphere and Ionosphere and Predictions for Saturn. In: Encrenaz, T., Kallenbach, R., Owen, T.C., Sotin, C. (eds) The Outer Planets and their Moons. Space Sciences Series of ISSI, vol 19. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-4038-5_16
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-4038-5_16
Received:
Accepted:
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-3362-9
Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-4038-2
eBook Packages: Physics and AstronomyPhysics and Astronomy (R0)