Superthermal electrons and Bernstein waves in Jupiter's inner magnetosphere

Journal Article · Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1980 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA085iA12p06729· OSTI ID:6981687

Barbosa, D D; Kurth, W S

A theoretical model of generation of banded electrostatic emissions by low density, superthermal electrons is developed for application to Jupiter's magnetosphere. The model employs a power law form for the energy dependence and a loss cone pitch angle distribution of the superthermals to drive convective instability of Bernstein modes. We concentrate on instability in the upper hybrid band and on lower harmonic bands below the upper hybrid frequency. A direct correspondence between spectral features of the 3/2's band and resonant superthermal electrons is found. The concept of a critical fluxj/sub perpendicular/ of resonant electrons able to provide 10 e-foldings of electric field amplification yields an explicit relation j/sub perpendicular/approx.p in terms of the background thermal electron pressure. This result is used to construct a theoretical/empirical model of thermal electron density and temperature from 6--20 R/sub J/ in the Jovian magnetosphere which suggests that the ion and electron temperatures satisfy T/sub e/

• Research Organization: Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242
• OSTI ID: 6981687
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Vol. 85:A12
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
JUPITER PLANET
PLANETARY MAGNETOSPHERES
BERNSTEIN MODE
CONVECTIVE INSTABILITIES
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRON DENSITY
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
ION TEMPERATURE
PLASMA WAVES
ATMOSPHERES
FUNCTIONS
INSTABILITY
OSCILLATION MODES
PLANETARY ATMOSPHERES
PLANETS
PLASMA INSTABILITY
640107* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Planetary Phenomena