Energy release and transfer processes of rotating magnetospheres uncovered by combinations of space telescope and explorer

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K17812
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Space and upper atmospheric physics
• Research Institution: Tohoku University (2018); Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (2016-2017)
• Principal Investigator: Kimura Tomoki 東北大学, 学際科学フロンティア研究所, 助教 (50578804)
• Research Collaborator: Tao Chihiro NICT ; Badman Sarah Lancaster University ; Yoshioka Kazuo 東京大学 ; Murakami Go ; Yamazaki Astushi JAXA
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 木星 / 磁気圏 / エネルギー開放 / オーロラ / ひさき / ハッブル宇宙望遠鏡 / ジュノー探査機

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Aim of our study is to reveal release and transport processes of electromagnetic energy in Jupiter's magnetosphere, which accelerates plasma particles up to 10s MeV energies. Based on the first-ever coordinated observations with the Hisaki satellite, Hubble Space Telescope, and Juno explorer, we successfully captured spatio-temporal variations in Jupiter's aurora that is 'internally-driven' by Jupiter's rotation and strong magnetic field. The observed variations in the aurora tells us that energies of the rotation and magnetic field stored in the magnetosphere are rapidly released within one rotation and transported toward Jupiter.

Free Research Field

惑星圏物理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で明らかになったエネルギー開放・輸送過程は、中性子星磁気圏など他の回転磁化天体が形成する磁気圏にも普遍的に存在する可能性がある。本研究で得られた知見を他天体に応用すれば、直接探査が不可能な天体における宇宙環境の理解などに寄与する。