Magnetospheres of the Galilean Satellites

Abstract

The plasma and field perturbations of magnetospheres that would surround magnetized galilean satellites embedded in the corotating jovian plasma differ from those produced by interaction with an unmagnetized conductor. If the intrinsic satellite dipole is antiparallel to that of Jupiter, the magnetosphere will be open. It is predicted that Io has an internal magnetic field with a dipole moment of 6.5 x 10²² gauss-cubic centimeters antiparallel to Jupiter's, and Io's special properties can be interpreted on the basis of a reconnecting magnetosphere.