Journal article
Revealing the source of Jupiter’s x-ray auroral flares
Science advances, Vol.7(28), p.0851
07/01/2021
DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abf0851
PMCID: 8270495
PMID: 34244139
Abstract
Jupiter’s unique x-ray aurora is driven by the same processes as Earth’s: Heavy ion scattering by electromagnetic waves.
Jupiter’s rapidly rotating, strong magnetic field provides a natural laboratory that is key to understanding the dynamics of high-energy plasmas. Spectacular auroral x-ray flares are diagnostic of the most energetic processes governing magnetospheres but seemingly unique to Jupiter. Since their discovery 40 years ago, the processes that produce Jupiter’s x-ray flares have remained unknown. Here, we report simultaneous in situ satellite and space-based telescope observations that reveal the processes that produce Jupiter’s x-ray flares, showing surprising similarities to terrestrial ion aurora. Planetary-scale electromagnetic waves are observed to modulate electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves, periodically causing heavy ions to precipitate and produce Jupiter’s x-ray pulses. Our findings show that ion aurorae share common mechanisms across planetary systems, despite temporal, spatial, and energetic scales varying by orders of magnitude.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Revealing the source of Jupiter’s x-ray auroral flares
- Creators
- Zhonghua Yao - Institute of Geology and GeophysicsWilliam R. Dunn - University College LondonEmma E. Woodfield - British Antarctic SurveyGeorge Clark - Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics LaboratoryBarry H. Mauk - Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics LaboratoryRobert W. Ebert - Southwest Research InstituteDenis Grodent - University of LiègeBertrand Bonfond - University of LiègeDongxiao Pan - Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaI. Jonathan Rae - Northumbria UniversityBinbin Ni - Wuhan UniversityRuilong Guo - University of LiègeGraziella Branduardi-Raymont - University College LondonAffelia D. Wibisono - University College LondonPedro Rodriguez - European Space Astronomy CentreStavros Kotsiaros - Goddard Space Flight CenterJan-Uwe Ness - European Space Astronomy CentreFrederic Allegrini - Southwest Research InstituteWilliam S. Kurth - University of IowaG. Randall Gladstone - Southwest Research InstituteRalph Kraft - Smithsonian Astrophysical ObservatoryAli H. Sulaiman - University of IowaHarry Manners - Imperial College LondonRavindra T. Desai - Imperial College LondonScott J. Bolton - Southwest Research Institute
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Science advances, Vol.7(28), p.0851
- DOI
- 10.1126/sciadv.abf0851
- PMID
- 34244139
- PMCID
- 8270495
- NLM abbreviation
- Sci Adv
- ISSN
- 2375-2548
- eISSN
- 2375-2548
- Grant note
- DOI: 10.13039/501100000270, name: Natural Environment Research Council, award: NE/P017150/1, NE/P017185/1, NE/V002554/1, and NE/V002724/1; DOI: 10.13039/501100000271, name: Science and Technology Facilities Council, award: ST/S000240/1; DOI: 10.13039/501100000271, name: Science and Technology Facilities Council, award: ST/S000240/1; DOI: 10.13039/501100000271, name: Science and Technology Facilities Council, award: ST/S000496/1; DOI: 10.13039/501100000288, name: Royal Society, award: NAF/R1/191047; DOI: 10.13039/501100001809, name: National Natural Science Foundation of China, award: 42074211; DOI: 10.13039/501100001809, name: National Natural Science Foundation of China, award: 42025404; name: SAO fellowship to Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics and by European Space Agency, award: 4000120752/17/NL/MH; name: Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences, award: XDA17010201; name: B-type Strategic Priority Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, award: XDB41000000; name: The pre-research projects on Civil Aerospace Technologies, award: D020308, D020104 and D020303; name: IGGCAS, award: IGGCAS- 201904
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 07/01/2021
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9984455261402771
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