TY - JOUR

T1 - Magnetosphere-Ionosphere-Thermosphere coupling at Jupiter using a three-dimensional atmospheric general circulation model

AU - Yates, J. N.

AU - Ray, Licia C

AU - Achilleos, Nicholas

AU - Witasse, Olivier

AU - Altobelli, N.

N1 - This is the peer reviewed version of the following article:Yates, J. N., Ray, L. C., Achilleos, N., Witasse, O. G., & Altobelli, N. ( 2020). Magnetosphere‐ionosphere‐thermosphere coupling at Jupiter using a three‐dimensional atmospheric general circulation model. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 125, e2019JA026792 which has been published in final form at https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2019JA026792 This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance With Wiley Terms and Conditions for self-archiving.

PY - 2020/1/1

Y1 - 2020/1/1

N2 - Jupiter's upper atmosphere is ∼700 K hotter than predicted based on solar extreme ultraviolet heating alone. The reason for this still remains a mystery and is known as the “energy crisis.” It is thought that the interaction between Jupiter and its dynamic magnetosphere plays a vital role in heating its atmosphere to the observed temperatures. Here, we present a new model of Jupiter's magnetosphere‐ionosphere‐thermosphere‐coupled system where we couple a three‐dimensional atmospheric general circulation model to an axisymmetric magnetosphere model. We find that the model temperatures are on average ∼60 K, with a maximum of ∼200 K, hotter than the model's two‐dimensional predecessor making our high‐latitude temperatures comparable to the lower limit of observations. Stronger meridional winds now transport more heat from the auroral region to the equator increasing the equatorial temperatures. However, despite this increase, the modeled equatorial temperatures are still hundreds of kelvins colder than observed. We use this model as an intermediate step toward a three‐dimensional atmospheric model coupled to a realistic magnetosphere model with zonal and radial variation.

AB - Jupiter's upper atmosphere is ∼700 K hotter than predicted based on solar extreme ultraviolet heating alone. The reason for this still remains a mystery and is known as the “energy crisis.” It is thought that the interaction between Jupiter and its dynamic magnetosphere plays a vital role in heating its atmosphere to the observed temperatures. Here, we present a new model of Jupiter's magnetosphere‐ionosphere‐thermosphere‐coupled system where we couple a three‐dimensional atmospheric general circulation model to an axisymmetric magnetosphere model. We find that the model temperatures are on average ∼60 K, with a maximum of ∼200 K, hotter than the model's two‐dimensional predecessor making our high‐latitude temperatures comparable to the lower limit of observations. Stronger meridional winds now transport more heat from the auroral region to the equator increasing the equatorial temperatures. However, despite this increase, the modeled equatorial temperatures are still hundreds of kelvins colder than observed. We use this model as an intermediate step toward a three‐dimensional atmospheric model coupled to a realistic magnetosphere model with zonal and radial variation.

U2 - 10.1029/2019JA026792

DO - 10.1029/2019JA026792

M3 - Journal article

VL - 125

JO - Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics

JF - Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics

SN - 2169-9380

IS - 1

M1 - 2019JA026792

ER -