Jovian deep magnetotail composition and structure. Issue 2 (15th February 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McComas, D. J.; Allegrini, F.; Bagenal, F.; Ebert, R. W.; Elliott, H. A.; Nicolaou, G.; Szalay, J. R.; Valek, P.; Weidner, S.
• Is Part Of: Journal of geophysical research. Volume 122:Issue 2(2017)
• Page Start: 1763
• Page End: 1777
• Publication Date: 2017-02-15
• Subjects: Jupiter -- magnetotail; Magnetospheric physics -- Periodicals; Space environment -- Periodicals; Cosmic physics -- Periodicals; Planets -- Atmospheres -- Periodicals; Heliosphere (Astrophysics) -- Periodicals; Geophysics -- Periodicals; 523.01
• DOI: 10.1002/2016JA023039
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2169-9380

Abstract

Abstract: We analyze plasma ion observations from the Solar Wind Around Pluto instrument on New Horizons as it traveled back through the dusk flank of the Jovian magnetotail from ~600 to more than 2500 Jovian radii behind the planet. We find that at all distances, light ions (mostly protons) dominate the heavy ions (S ++ and O + ) that are far more abundant in the near Jupiter plasma disk and that were expected to be the primary ions filling the Jovian magnetotail. This key new observation might indicate that heavy ions are confined closer to the equator than the spacecraft trajectory or a substantial addition of light ions via reconnection and/or mixing along the magnetopause boundary. However, because we find no evidence for acceleration of the tail plasma with distance, a more likely explanation seems to be that the heavy ions are preferentially released down the dawn flank of the magnetotail. Perhaps, this occurs as a part of the process where flux tubes, after expanding as they rotate across the near‐tail region, need to pull back inward in order to fit within the dawnside of the magnetopause. A second major finding of this study is that there are two dominant periods of the plasma structures in the Jovian magnetotail: 3.53 (0.18 full width at half maximum (FWHM)) and 5.35 (0.38 FWHM) days. Remarkably, the first of these is identical within the errors to Europa's orbital period (3.55 days). Both of these results should provide important new fodder for Jovian magnetospheric theories and lead to a better understanding of Jupiter's magnetosphere. Key Points: The duskside of the Jovian magnetotail is dominated by light ions instead of heavy ions from Io all the way back to over 2500 Jovian radii The tail is highly structured and has two dominant periodicities of 3.53 and 5.35 days; the shorter one matches Europa's orbital period There is no evidence for plasma acceleration or entry, suggesting that light ions may preferentially move toward dusk via ambipolar diffusion