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Solar wind and internally driven dynamics: influences on magnetodiscs and auroral responses

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineLiterature reviewpeer-review

Published
  • P. A. Delamere
  • F. Bagenal
  • C. Paranicas
  • A. Masters
  • A. Radioti
  • B. Bonfond
  • Licia Ray
  • X. Jia
  • J. Nichols
  • C. Arridge
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<mark>Journal publication date</mark>04/2015
<mark>Journal</mark>Space Science Reviews
Issue number1-4
Volume187
Number of pages47
Pages (from-to)51-97
Publication StatusPublished
Early online date26/08/14
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Abstract

The dynamics of the giant planet magnetodiscs are strongly influenced by planetary rotation. Yet the solar wind must ultimately remove plasma from these rapidly rotating magnetodiscs at the same rate that plasma is transported radially outward from the source regions: the Io and Enceladus plasma tori. It is not clear how the solar wind influences magnetospheric dynamics when the dynamics are dominated by rotation. However, auroral observations provide important clues. We review magnetodisc sources and radial transport and the solar wind interaction with the giant magnetospheres of Jupiter and Saturn in an attempt to connect auroral features with specific drivers. We provide a discussion of auroral signatures that are related to the solar wind interaction and summarize with a discussion of global magnetospheric dynamics as illustrated by global MHD simulations. Many questions remain and it is the intent of this review to highlight several of the most compelling questions for future research.