The Hottest Hot Jupiters May Host Atmospheric Dynamos
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne (United Kingdom)
- Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States)
Hot Jupiters have proven themselves to be a rich class of exoplanets that test our theories of planetary evolution and atmospheric dynamics under extreme conditions. Here, we present three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations and analytic results that demonstrate that a dynamo can be maintained in the thin, stably stratified atmosphere of a hot Jupiter, independent of the presumed deep-seated dynamo. This dynamo is maintained by conductivity variations arising from strong asymmetric heating from the planets’ host star. The presence of a dynamo significantly increases the surface magnetic field strength and alters the overall planetary magnetic field geometry, possibly affecting star–planet magnetic interactions.
- OSTI ID:
- 22654466
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal Letters, Vol. 841, Issue 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 2041-8205
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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