Juno finds Jupiter’s magnetodisk rippling during magnetic reconnection
Juno data show that Jupiter’s magnetodisk, long pictured as a relatively smooth sheet, develops ripples during active periods. Researchers led by Shandong University, whose study appeared in Science China Earth Sciences, found repeated crossings of the current sheet alongside magnetic signatures of reconnection and bursts of energetic particles.
Bottom line — The researchers say the ripples may affect how Io’s volcanic particles move through Jupiter’s magnetodisk.
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BrightSurf reports that Juno crossed the current sheet four times in ten minutes during one event.
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The researchers found ripples lasting from several minutes to over an hour, with small reconnection sites spread across roughly 100 degrees of longitude.
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Unlike waves in Earth’s magnetotail, Jupiter’s rippled sheet appears to rotate with the planet, according to the study.
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The researchers say the motion may complicate the magnetic link between Jupiter’s ionosphere and magnetodisk.
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Universe Today reports that Juno’s extended mission is scheduled to continue until September 2028.