Giant Planet Magnetodiscs and Aurorae—An Introduction

Abstract

This volume contains the reports discussed during the Workshop “Giant Planet Magnetodiscs and Aurorae” held 26–30 November 2012, at the International Space Science Institute, organised together with the Europlanet project, supported by FP7 (Grant No. 228319). Magnetodiscs are large current sheets surrounding Jupiter and Saturn (also Uranus and Neptune) that are filled with plasma principally originating in the natural satellites of these worlds. They are also solar system analogues for astrophysical discs. Magnetodiscs are special features of the fast rotating giant planets, a special feature of rotationally driven magnetospheres. Their structure is modified by variability in their plasma sources and by the solar wind. Auroral signatures in the optical and radio wavebands allow a diagnostic of these dynamical processes and enable the visualisation of these large plasma and field structures.