Energetic particles in the jovian magnetotail.
When the solar wind hits Jupiter's magnetic field, it creates a long magnetotail trailing behind the planet that channels material out of the Jupiter system. The New Horizons spacecraft traversed the length of the jovian magnetotail to >2500 jovian radii (RJ; 1 RJ identical with 71,400 kilometers), observing a high-temperature, multispecies population of energetic particles. Velocity dispersions, anisotropies, and compositional variation seen in the deep-tail (greater, similar 500 RJ) with a approximately 3-day periodicity are similar to variations seen closer to Jupiter in Galileo data. The signatures suggest plasma streaming away from the planet and injection sites in the near-tail region (approximately 200 to 400 RJ) that could be related to magnetic reconnection events. The tail structure remains coherent at least until it reaches the magnetosheath at 1655 RJ.
McNutt
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RL
Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD 20723, USA. ralph.mcnutt@jhuapl.edu
Haggerty
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Hill
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Krimigis
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Livi
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Gurnee
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Mauk
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Mitchell
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Roelof
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D004583:Electrons; D005118:Extraterrestrial Environment; D007477:Ions; D018538:Jupiter; D010100:Oxygen; D011522:Protons; D018531:Spacecraft; D013455:Sulfur; D013696:Temperature
D007477:Ions; D011522:Protons; D013455:Sulfur; D010100:Oxygen