Open AccessEnergetic ion dynamics in Jupiter's plasma sheet
Author(s) -
Selesnick R. S.,
Cohen C. M. S.,
Khurana K. K.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: space physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/2000ja000242
Subject(s) - current sheet , ion , rigidity (electromagnetism) , plasma sheet , physics , jupiter (rocket family) , plasma , atomic physics , computational physics , astronomy , spacecraft , magnetosphere , nuclear physics , magnetohydrodynamics , quantum mechanics
A systematic study of energetic ion trajectories in Jupiter's plasma sheet region predicts a significant role for both regular and stochastic types of motion and reveals several aspects of the ion dynamics that aid in the interpretation of Galileo observations. The motion is generally confined to the vicinity of the current sheet in a way that is proportional to the variable current sheet thickness as seen in the particle and field data. The radial extent of the trajectories increases with rigidity and initial radial distance from the planet, explaining the corresponding lack of high‐rigidity ions and decreasing radial gradients at lower rigidity. Ion intensity increases associated with changes in current sheet thickness suggest an acceleration region at ∼25 to 30 R j . Energy dispersion in ion events at larger radial distances can be explained by such a source combined with elastic ion scattering.