Io's volcanism controls Jupiter's magnetospheric activity

Abstract

Jupiter's volcanic moon Io spews out volcanic gas, which reaches its atmosphere and becomes ionized, forming what is known as the Io plasma torus. This plasma torus can interact with Jupiter's magnetosphere, possibly affecting auroral activity there. To help determine whether Io's volcanic activity affects Jupiter's magnetosphere, Yoneda et al. analyzed ground‐based observations of Jupiter's sodium nebula, which provides an indication of Io's volcanic activity and plasma content in the Io plasma torus, along with satellite‐based measurements of the radio emission called hectometric (HOM) emission, which is a sign of Jupiter's auroral activity.