Solar Wind Interaction With Jupiter's Magnetosphere: A Statistical Study of Galileo In Situ Data and Modeled Upstream Solar Wind Conditions

Abstract

AbstractJupiter's magnetosphere is often said to be rotationally driven, with strong centrifugal stresses due to large spatial scales and a rapid planetary rotation period. While the solar wind is therefore expected to have a relatively small influence on Jupiter's magnetosphere and aurora, there is considerable observational evidence that the solar wind does affect the magnetopause standoff distance, auroral radio emissions, and the ultraviolet auroral position and brightness. We report on the results of a comprehensive, quantitative study of the influence of the solar wind dynamic pressure on magnetospheric data sets measured by the Galileo mission (1996–2003). Using model predictions of the solar wind conditions near Jupiter calculated by propagating measurements made near the Earth, we have established how predicted changes in the solar wind affect the magnitude and direction of the magnetic field in the magnetosphere, the hectometric auroral radio emissions, and energetic particles in Jupiter's magnetosphere. We find that increases in the solar wind dynamic pressure are statistically associated with magnetospheric compression events but that tail reconnection and plasmoid release is most likely driven internally by the Vasyliunas cycle. We find no link between solar wind conditions and the occurrence of quasiperiodic modulations in the magnetosphere. Overall, we conclude that activity in Jupiter's magnetosphere is both internally and solar wind driven. Finally, we examine the effects of solar wind‐induced magnetospheric compressions on Jupiter's auroral brightness and mapping, finding that a solar wind compression could shift the auroral mapping of a given point in the magnetosphere by ~3° on average.