Discover
/
Article

Comparitive Magnetospheres

NOV 01, 1985
The interaction between rotating planetary magnetic fields and the solar wind creates enormous flowing regions of plasma—Jupiter’s dwarfs the Sun—whose behavior bears on a broad set of astrophysical problems.

DOI: 10.1063/1.880990

Louis J. Lanzerotti
Stamatios M. Krimigis

A major discovery to emerge from the era of spacecraft investigations of the solar system is the high degree to which planetary magnetic fields organize ionized matter. The spectacular images of planetary surfaces, atmospheres and satellites beamed to Earth by unmanned spacecraft have attracted much attention. However, the discovery of unexpected large‐scale plasma formations within the magnetospheres of the planets is equally important because the behavior of these plasmas gives us insight into the way plasmas behave on cosmological scales.

References

  1. 1. See H. Alfvén, Cosmic Plasma, Reidel, Dordrecht, Holland (1981).

  2. 2. S.‐I. Akasofu, L. J. Lanzerotti, PHYSICS TODAY December 1975, p. 28;
    L. J. Lanzerotti, Astron. and Aeron. April 1981, p. 57 ;
    S.‐I. Akasofu, S. Chapman, Solar‐Terrestrial Physics, Oxford, London (1972).

  3. 3. G. L. Siscoe, in Solar System Plasma Physics, C. F. Kennel, L. J. Lanzerotti, E. N. Parker, eds., North Holland, Amsterdam (1979), vol. 2, p. 319.

  4. 4. H. Alfvén, Tellus 6, 232 (1954).https://doi.org/TELLAL

  5. 5. R. M. Kulsrud, in Particle Acceleration Mechanisms in Astrophysics, J. Arons, C. Max, C. McKee, eds., AIP Conf. Proc. no. 56, AIP, New York (1979), p. 13.

  6. 6. N. F. Ness, Ann. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci. 7, 249 (1979).https://doi.org/AREPCI

  7. 7. C. T. Russell, in Solar System Plasma Physics, C. F. Kennel, L. J. Lanzerotti, E. N. Parker, eds., North Holland, Amsterdam (1979), vol. 2, p. 207.

  8. 8. J. Geophys. Res. 79, 3487 (1974) (Pioneer Jupiter issue); https://doi.org/JGREA2
    J. Geophys. Res. 86, 8123 (1981) (Voyager Jupiter issue).https://doi.org/JGREA2

  9. 9. S. M. Krimigis, J. S. Carbary, E. P. Keath, C. O. Bostrom, W. I. Axford, G. Gloeckler, L. J. Lanzerotti, T. P. Armstrong, J. Geophys. Res. 86, 8227 (1981).https://doi.org/JGREA2

  10. 10. T. W. Hill, A. J. Dessler, C. K. Goertz, in Physics of the Jovian Magnetosphere, A. J. Dessler, ed., Cambridge U.P. (1983), p. 353.

  11. 11. R. L. McNuttJr, Adv. Space Res. 3, 55 (1983).https://doi.org/ASRSDW

  12. 12. F. Bagenal, J. D. Sullivan, J. Geophys. Res. 86, 8447 (1981); https://doi.org/JGREA2
    D. L. Matson, B. A. Goldberg, T. V. Johnson, R. W. Carlson, Science 199, 531 (1978); https://doi.org/SCIEAS
    J. T. Trauger, Science 226, 337 (1984).https://doi.org/SCIEAS

  13. 13. N. F. Ness, M. H. Acuña, R. P. Lepping, L. F. Burlaga, K. W. Behannon, F. M. Neubauer, Science 204, 982 (1979).https://doi.org/SCIEAS

  14. 14. K. R. Pyle, J. A. Simpson, Astrophys. J. 215, L89 (1977).https://doi.org/ASJOAB

  15. 15. R. D. Zwickl, S. M. Krimigis, J. F. Carbary, E. P. Keath, T. P. Armstrong, D. C. Hamilton, G. Gloeckler, J. Geophys. Res. 86, 8125 (1981).https://doi.org/JGREA2

  16. 16. D. C. Hamilton, G. Gloeckler, S. M. Krimigis, L. J. Lanzerotti, J. Geophys. Res. 86, 8301 (1981).https://doi.org/JGREA2

  17. 17. C. K. Goertz, J. Geophys. Res. 83, 3145 (1978).https://doi.org/JGREA2

  18. 18. A. F. Cheng, Astrophys. J. 242, 812 (1980).https://doi.org/ASJOAB

  19. 19. J. Geophys. Res. 85, 5651 (1980) (Pioneer Saturn issue); https://doi.org/JGREA2
    J. Geophys. Res. 88, 8625 (1983) (Voyager Saturn issue).https://doi.org/JGREA2

  20. 20. S. M. Krimigis, J. F. Carbary, E. P. Keath, T. P. Armstrong, L. J. Lanzerotti, G. Gloecker, J. Geophys. Res. 88, 8871 (1983).https://doi.org/JGREA2

  21. 21. S. T. Durrance, H. A. Moos, Nature 299, 428 (1982); https://doi.org/NATUAS
    J. T. Clarke, Astrophys. J. 263, L105 (1982).https://doi.org/ASJOAB

  22. 22. J. Geophys. Res. 87, 1351 (1982) (Voyager Titan issue).https://doi.org/JGREA2

  23. 23. S. M. Krimigis, Proc. 17th Intl. Cosmic Ray Conf. 12, 229 (1981).

  24. 24. M. H. Acuña, J. K. Alexander, R. A. Brown, T. W. Hill, S. M. Krimigis, L. J. Lanzerotti, G. L. Siscoe, Space Sci. Rev. 35, 269 (1983).https://doi.org/SPSRA4

More about the Authors

Louis J. Lanzerotti. AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, New Jersey.

Stamatios M. Krimigis. Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland.

This Content Appeared In
pt-cover_1985_11.jpeg

Volume 38, Number 11

Related content
/
Article
Technical knowledge and skills are only some of the considerations that managers have when hiring physical scientists. Soft skills, in particular communication, are also high on the list.
/
Article
Professional societies can foster a sense of belonging and offer early-career scientists opportunities to give back to their community.
/
Article
Interviews offer a glimpse of how physicists get into—and thrive in—myriad nonacademic careers.
/
Article
Research exchanges between US and Soviet scientists during the second half of the 20th century may be instructive for navigating today’s debates on scientific collaboration.
/
Article
The Eisenhower administration dismissed the director of the National Bureau of Standards in 1953. Suspecting political interference with the agency’s research, scientists fought back—and won.
/
Article
Alternative undergraduate physics courses expand access to students and address socioeconomic barriers that prevent many of them from entering physics and engineering fields. The courses also help all students develop quantitative skills.

Get PT in your inbox

Physics Today - The Week in Physics

The Week in Physics" is likely a reference to the regular updates or summaries of new physics research, such as those found in publications like Physics Today from AIP Publishing or on news aggregators like Phys.org.

Physics Today - Table of Contents
Physics Today - Whitepapers & Webinars
By signing up you agree to allow AIP to send you email newsletters. You further agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.