Plasma Sheet Boundary Layer in Jupiter's Magnetodisk as Observed by Juno

X.‐J. Zhang; Q. Ma; A. V. Artemyev; W. Li; W. S. Kurth; B. H. Mauk; G. Clark; F. Allegrini; D. J. Gershman; S. J. Bolton

doi:10.1029/2020JA027957

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Plasma Sheet Boundary Layer in Jupiter's Magnetodisk as Observed by Juno

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Plasma Sheet Boundary Layer in Jupiter's Magnetodisk as Observed by Juno

X.‐J. Zhang, Q. Ma, A. V. Artemyev, W. Li, W. S. Kurth, B. H. Mauk, G. Clark, F. Allegrini, D. J. Gershman and S. J. Bolton

Journal of geophysical research. Space physics, Vol.125(8), e2020JA027957

08/2020

DOI: 10.1029/2020JA027957

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Abstract

The Juno spacecraft has been orbiting Jupiter for the past 3 years. During this interval, Juno has collected large datasets of plasma, magnetic field, and wave measurements in Jupiter's magnetosphere. In this study, we conduct statistics on the plasma and wave characteristics in Jupiter's magnetodisk (nightside magnetosphere beyond 20 Jupiter radii, RJ). Distributions of electron fluxes and waves in the magnetodisk exhibit different characteristics in two regions: the plasma sheet with dense plasma and weak wave intensity and the plasma sheet boundary layer (PSBL) occupied by strong waves and rarefied plasma. We discuss that these waves can be generated by field‐aligned high‐energy electrons in the PSBL. We further compare plasma and wave properties in the PSBL of Jupiter's magnetodisk with the PSBL in Earth's magnetotail. This comparison suggests that the PSBL in Jupiter's magnetodisk may be formed by transient magnetic reconnection in the Jovian magnetosphere. The dawn‐dusk asymmetry of the PSBL properties further supports this scenario: the PSBL is more pronounced in the dawn flank of Jupiter's magnetodisk, where magnetic reconnection is predicted to occur by models of the rotation‐dominated magnetosphere. We further discuss properties of the Jovian PSBL and implications on magnetic reconnection in Jupiter's magnetosphere. Key Points Our results reveal the statistical properties of plasma sheet boundary layer in Jupiter's magnetodisk Strong electromagnetic waves with E/cB∼1 are observed at the plasma sheet boundary layer Observed dawn‐dusk asymmetry of the plasma sheet boundary layer is consistent with expected asymmetry of transient reconnection

dawn‐dusk asymmetry

Earth

Juno

Jupiter

magnetic reconnection

PSBL

Details

Title: Subtitle: Plasma Sheet Boundary Layer in Jupiter's Magnetodisk as Observed by Juno
Creators: X.‐J. Zhang - University of California, Los Angeles
Q. Ma - Boston University
A. V. Artemyev - University of California, Los Angeles
W. Li - Boston University
W. S. Kurth - University of Iowa
B. H. Mauk - Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
G. Clark - Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
F. Allegrini - The University of Texas at San Antonio
D. J. Gershman - Goddard Space Flight Center
S. J. Bolton - Southwest Research Institute
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of geophysical research. Space physics, Vol.125(8), e2020JA027957
DOI: 10.1029/2020JA027957
ISSN: 2169-9380
eISSN: 2169-9402
Number of pages: 15
Grant note: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (ZZM06AA75C; 699046X; 699041X; 80NSSC20K0557; 80NSSC19K1593)
Language: English
Date published: 08/2020
Academic Unit: Physics and Astronomy
Record Identifier: 9984455279602771

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