Temporal variability of the Io-induced aurorae on Jupiter: a proxy for plasma variations in the magnetosphere

and the JIRAM team The orbital motion of the three innermost galilean moons-Io, Europa and Ganymedewithin Jupiter's magnetosphere is known to be associated with auroral signatures, which can be detected in the UV, visible and IR wavelengths near the polar regions of the planet. Indeed, the moons interact with the magnetic field and plasma surrounding Jupiter, setting up a system of currents that ultimately transmit the perturbation to Jupiter's ionosphere. Such currents are carried by Alfven waves, whose direction of propagation and speed are determined by the magnetic field geometry and plasma distribution in the magnetosphere.