New theory proposes Jovian magnetosphere circulates magnetic field remarkably different from that of Earth

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About 1 ton of volcanic gases are spewed out by Jupiters moon Io every second. When ionized these gases become trapped in Jupiters strong magnetic field (shown in blue) and form a vast ring (shown in red) around the planet with Jupiters 10-hour spin ...
About 1 ton of volcanic gases are spewed out by Jupiter’s moon Io every second. When ionized, these gases become trapped in Jupiter’s strong magnetic field (shown in blue) and form a vast ring (shown in red) around the planet with Jupiter’s 10-hour spin period. Jupiter’s strong magnetic, rapid rotation and Io’s prodigious source of material result in a giant magnetosphere whose dynamics are very different from the Earth. Image courtesy Fran Bagenal

Space physicists have long assumed that the magnetosphere at Jupiter circulates that planet's magnetic field in the same way as Earth. At Earth, this circulation drives the aurora and the magnetic storms that cause space weather. Researchers from Southwest Research Institute and the University of Colorado at Boulder have developed a new model that postulates the structure and magnetospheric processes at Jupiter are significantly different from those at Earth.


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