Charged Particle Dynamics in Jovian Magnetosphere
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Jupiter has the largest magnetosphere in our solar system, having a magnetic field ~20 times stronger than Earth. It hosts the strongest radiation belts. These belts derive their energy from the accumulation of high-energy charged particles, encompassing protons (~100 GeV), electrons (~ 100 MeV), and heavy ions like 𝑂+, 𝑂++, 𝑆+, 𝑆++, 𝑆+++ (~100 MeV) [1]. The origin of these particles can be attributed to the combined effects of solar wind and Io (one of Jupiter's moons), loading roughly 1000 kg of fresh material into Jupiter's magnetosphere every second. Predicting the trajectories of charged particles within Jupiter's magnetic field is crucial for ensuring space mission safety, protecting electronic equipment, and advancing our understanding of particle dynamics. Various theoretical models have been developed to predict particle trajectories, all of which are based on the gyro-center approximation [2]. This approximation neglects gyro motion and instead tracks the gyro center, assuming that particles gyrate near the magnetic field line. However, this approximation fails for highly energetic charged particles due to their larger gyroradius. Therefore, a three-dimensional relativistic model has been developed including all particle motions i.e. gyro, bounce, and drift by incorporating Jupiter's magnetic field (intrinsic + current source) to study their behavior thoroughly.
Institution: Indian Institute of Geomagnetism
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W6930729929
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