Juno’s Exploration of Jupiter’s Magnetic Field and Magnetosphere

Abstract

<p>The Juno spacecraft was inserted into polar orbit about Jupiter on July 4<sup>th</sup>, 2016, performing close passes (to ~1.05 Rj radial distance at periJove) every 53 days. By the end of its prime mission, Juno will have circled the planet 34 times, uniformly sampling longitudes separated by less than 11<img src="data:image/jpeg;base64,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" width="4" height="13"> at the equator. The Juno magnetic field investigation is equipped with two magnetometer sensor suites, located at 10 and 12 m from the spacecraft body at the end of one of Juno’s three solar arrays. Each contains a vector fluxgate magnetometer (FGM) sensor and a pair of co-located non-magnetic star tracker camera heads that provide accurate attitude determination for the FGM sensors. A moredetailed view of Jupiter’s planetary dynamo is emerging as Juno acquires more periJove passes, providing spatial resolution beyond that already evident in the preliminary model (JRM09, a degree 10 spherical harmonic) derived from Juno’s first 9 periJoves. A complex and very non-dipolar magnetic field dominates the northern hemisphere, while a mostly dipolar magnetic field is observed south of the equator, where the enigmatic “Great Blue Spot” resides within an equatorial band of opposite polarity. The Jovian magnetodisc, formed by a washer-shaped disc of azimuthal (“ring”) currents, stretches magnetic field lines outward along the magnetic equator. With 26 equally spaced longitudes now available we can begin to address magnetodisc variability, finding a more or less stable system of azimuthal ring currents (few % variability) and a more variable (~50%) system of radial currents that supply torque to outflowing plasma. A new magnetodisc model greatly improves knowledge of the field geometry, independently verified via observations of the particle absorption signatures of Galilean satellites. A more systematic mapping of Birkeland currents above the polar aurorae also emerges from multiple passes. These and other developments will be presented with Juno now about ¾ of the way towards completion of its primary mission.</p>