Standing Alfvén waves in Jupiter’s magnetosphere as a source of ∼10-60 minute quasi-periodic pulsations
File(s)Manners_et_al-2018-Geophysical_Research_Letters.pdf (458.58 KB)
Published version
Author(s)
Manners, Harry
Masters, A
Yates, Japheth
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Energy transport inside the giant magnetosphere at Jupiter is poorly understood. Since the Pioneer era, mysterious quasiperiodic (QP) pulsations have been reported. Early publications successfully modeled case studies of ∼60‐min (rest‐frame) pulsations as standing Alfvén waves. Since then, the range of periods has increased to ∼10–60 min, spanning multiple data sets. More work is required to assess whether a common QP modulation mechanism is capable of explaining the full range of wave periods. Here we have modeled standing Alfvén waves to compute the natural periods of the Jovian magnetosphere, for varying plasma sheet thicknesses, field line lengths, and Alfvén speeds. We show that variability in the plasma sheet produces eigenperiods that are consistent with all the reported observations. At least the first half‐dozen harmonics (excluding the fundamental) may contribute but are indistinguishable in our analysis. We suggest that all QP pulsations reported at Jupiter may be explained by standing Alfvén waves.
Date Issued
2018-09-26
Date Acceptance
2018-08-14
Citation
Geophysical Research Letters, 2018, 45 (17), pp.8746-8754
ISSN
0094-8276
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
Start Page
8746
End Page
8754
Journal / Book Title
Geophysical Research Letters
Volume
45
Issue
17
Copyright Statement
©2018. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.
Sponsor
The Royal Society
The Royal Society
Grant Number
UF150547
RG160612
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Geology
FIELD LINE RESONANCES
LOW-FREQUENCY WAVES
MIDDLE MAGNETOSPHERE
HYDROMAGNETIC-WAVES
INNER MAGNETOSPHERE
MAGNETIC-FIELD
CURRENT SHEET
ULF WAVES
RADIO-BURSTS
EARTH
MD Multidisciplinary
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2018-08-22