Surface waves on the dawn and dusk flanks of Jupiter’s magnetopause

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Abstract
Context . The Jovian magnetopause is a highly dynamic boundary that experiences substantial deformation driven by interactions with the co-rotating internal plasma and the solar wind, leading to the development and propagation of wave activity along the boundary. Aims . This study aims to analyse in situ magnetic field measurements to detect wave activity along the magnetopause and identify the physical processes responsible for the observed perturbations. Methods . We applied five boundary analysis techniques to magnetic field data from seven different spacecraft to infer the local magnetopause normal. The resulting normals were then compared with a model of the magnetopause in order to detect surface wave activity and characterise its propagation direction. Results . We identified tailward-propagating waves along the Jovian magnetopause and linked them to solar wind interactions, with signatures probably associated with the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability. Conclusions . Magnetic field measurements provide robust statistical evidence of tailward-propagating perturbations on both flanks of Jupiter’s magnetopause regardless of the analysis method used.
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  • Fonds De La Recherche Scientifique - FNRS

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