Kotsiaros, Stavros ORCID: 0000-0003-2636-5545, Connerney, John E. P., Clark, George, Allegrini, Frederic ORCID: 0000-0003-0696-4380, Gladstone, G. Randall, Kurth, William S., Mauk, Barry H., Saur, Joachim ORCID: 0000-0003-1413-1231, Bunce, Emma J., Gershmanl, Daniel J., Martos, Yasmina M., Greathouse, Thomas K., Bolton, Scott J. and Levin, Steven M. (2019). Birkeland currents in Jupiter's magnetosphere observed by the polar-orbiting Juno spacecraft. Nat. Astron., 3 (10). S. 904 - 910. LONDON: NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP. ISSN 2397-3366

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Abstract

The exchange of energy and momentum between the Earth's upper atmosphere and ionosphere, and its space environment (magnetosphere) is regulated by electric currents (called Birkeland currents) flowing along magnetic field lines that connect these two regions of space(1). The associated electric currents flow towards and away from each pole primarily in two concentric conical sheets(2) . It has been expected that powerful sheets of magnetic-field-aligned electric currents would be found in association with the bright Jovian auroras(3). The Juno spacecraft is well positioned to explore Jupiter's polar magnetosphere and sample Birkeland or field-aligned currents and particle distributions. Since July 2016, Juno has maintained a near-polar orbit, passing over both polar regions every 53 days. From this vantage point, Juno's complement of science instruments gathers in situ observations of magnetospheric particles and fields while its remote-sensing infrared and ultraviolet spectrographs and imagers map auroral emissions(4). Here we present an extensive analysis of magnetic field perturbations measured during Juno's transits of Jupiter's polar regions, and thereby demonstrate Birkeland currents associated with Jupiter's auroral emissions. We characterize the magnitude and spatial extent of the currents and we find that they are weaker than anticipated and filamentary in nature. A significant asymmetry is observed between the field perturbations and the current associated with the northern and the southern auroras.

Item Type: Journal Article
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCIDORCID Put Code
Kotsiaros, StavrosUNSPECIFIEDorcid.org/0000-0003-2636-5545UNSPECIFIED
Connerney, John E. P.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Clark, GeorgeUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Allegrini, FredericUNSPECIFIEDorcid.org/0000-0003-0696-4380UNSPECIFIED
Gladstone, G. RandallUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Kurth, William S.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Mauk, Barry H.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Saur, JoachimUNSPECIFIEDorcid.org/0000-0003-1413-1231UNSPECIFIED
Bunce, Emma J.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Gershmanl, Daniel J.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Martos, Yasmina M.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Greathouse, Thomas K.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Bolton, Scott J.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Levin, Steven M.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
URN: urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-132763
DOI: 10.1038/s41550-019-0819-7
Journal or Publication Title: Nat. Astron.
Volume: 3
Number: 10
Page Range: S. 904 - 910
Date: 2019
Publisher: NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
Place of Publication: LONDON
ISSN: 2397-3366
Language: English
Faculty: Unspecified
Divisions: Unspecified
Subjects: no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:
KeywordsLanguage
AZIMUTHAL MAGNETIC-FIELD; ALIGNED CURRENTS; ACCELERATION; ELECTRONMultiple languages
Astronomy & AstrophysicsMultiple languages
Refereed: Yes
URI: http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/13276

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