The origins of patchy aurora at Jupiter

A Daly; W Li; Q Ma; X-C Shen; V Hue; G Clark; T K Greathouse; G R Gladstone; B H Mauk; W S Kurth; G B Hospodarsky; F Allegrini; S J Bolton

doi:10.1038/s41467-026-70197-6

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The origins of patchy aurora at Jupiter

A Daly, W Li, Q Ma, X-C Shen, V Hue, G Clark, T K Greathouse, G R Gladstone, B H Mauk, W S Kurth, …

Nature communications, Vol.17(1), 3117

04/01/2026

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-70197-6

PMCID: PMC13043765

PMID: 41922315

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Abstract

Auroral emissions play a critical role in coupling the magnetosphere and atmosphere at magnetized planets. At Jupiter, isolated auroral patches equatorward of the main auroral oval have been associated with magnetospheric injections, yet the key conditions driving these emissions remain unclear. Here we combine in situ particle and wave measurements and remote-sensing auroral observations from Juno to uncover the origins of Jupiter's patchy aurora. By examining both low-altitude and equatorial crossings, our results reveal that not all injections lead to auroral enhancements. Instead, auroral patches arise directly from electron precipitation driven by wave-particle interactions, while injections play a supportive role in facilitating wave growth and electron precipitation. These findings highlight the central role of plasma waves in auroral generation and in coupling Jupiter's magnetosphere and ionosphere, providing broader implications for wave-driven auroral processes across planetary magnetospheres.

Details

Title: Subtitle: The origins of patchy aurora at Jupiter
Creators: A Daly - Boston University
W Li - Boston University
Q Ma - Boston University
X-C Shen - Boston University
V Hue - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
G Clark - Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
T K Greathouse - Southwest Research Institute
G R Gladstone - Southwest Research Institute
B H Mauk - Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
W S Kurth - University of Iowa
G B Hospodarsky - University of Iowa
F Allegrini - The University of Texas at San Antonio
S J Bolton - Southwest Research Institute
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Nature communications, Vol.17(1), 3117
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-70197-6
PMID: 41922315
PMCID: PMC13043765
NLM abbreviation: Nat Commun
ISSN: 2041-1723
eISSN: 2041-1723
Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
Grant note: 80NSSC26K0123 / National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) NNM06AA75C / National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) AGS-2402179 / National Science Foundation (NSF) 80NSSC24K0942 / National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 80NSSC24K0572 / National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 80NSSC20K0557 / National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) AGS-2247774 / National Science Foundation (NSF) 80NSSC23K1641 / National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Language: English
Date published: 04/01/2026
Academic Unit: Physics and Astronomy
Record Identifier: 9985149576802771

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