Open AccessRole of dispersive Alfvén waves in generating parallel electric fields along the Io‐Jupiter fluxtube
Author(s) -
Jones S. T.,
Su Y.J.
Publication year - 2008
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 - 10.1029/2008ja013512
Subject(s) - jupiter (rocket family) , physics , electric field , electron , torus , acceleration , magnetic field , computational physics , kinetic energy , plasma , geophysics , quantum electrodynamics , classical mechanics , nuclear physics , astronomy , quantum mechanics , spacecraft , geometry , mathematics
Alfvénic disturbances originating from Io are believed to accelerate electrons to energies of 10s of keV. The precipitation of these electrons generates the Io auroral footprint. The electric fields necessary for acceleration come from considering the inertial and kinetic corrections to the ideal Alfvén wave. In this study, we examine where along the Io‐Jupiter magnetic fluxtube these parallel electric fields can contribute to acceleration. Theoretical calculations show that dispersive Alfvén electric fields within the torus are 2 orders of magnitude smaller than the electric fields which can be sustained at high latitudes along the fluxtube. This indicates that acceleration is caused by Alfvénic disturbances passing through the low‐density plasma outside the torus with the strongest acceleration possible at 0.5 R J above Jupiter.