Electron Energization by Inertial Alfvén Waves in Density Depleted Flux Tubes at Jupiter

Abstract

Abstract Juno satellite observations have illustrated substantial examples of broadband electron energization up to 105–106 eV levels. In order to explain these observations, we use a hybrid gyrofluid kinetic‐electron model in an untilted dipolar topology to illustrate energization to high levels in weak current conditions by inertial Alfvén waves close to the Jupiter ionosphere for ambient plasma densities and magnetic field perturbations inferred from Juno satellite observations. The key to the high energization is the extremely low densities evident in the observations which necessitates the acceleration of electrons to very high velocities in order to carry the field‐aligned current.

Keywords

• inertial Alfvén waves
• broadband electron energization
• kinetic simulations
• Jupiter
• magnetosphere