HR: 1340h
AN: SH43A-1156    [Abstracts]
TI: Time varying interaction of Europa's atmosphere-ionosphere and its conducting ocean with the Jovian Magnetosphere
AU: * Schilling, N
EM: schilli@geo.uni-koeln.de
AF: University of Cologne, Institut fuer Geophysik, Albertus-Magnus-Platz, Koeln, 50931 Germany
AU: Neubauer, F M
EM: neubauer@geo.uni-koeln.de
AF: University of Cologne, Institut fuer Geophysik, Albertus-Magnus-Platz, Koeln, 50931 Germany
AB: Galileo measurements acquired on several passes by Europa indicate the existence of an electrically conducting ocean in the interior of the satellite. As an inductive response to the time varying external magnetic field of the Jovian magnetosphere, the generated induced magnetic fields varying periodically and influencing the plasma interaction. We model the time dependent plasma interaction between Europa and the Jovian magnetosphere by solving simultaneously the MHD-flow problem and the internal induction problem. Therefore we develop a customized 3D-MHD model which accounts for the interaction of the magnetospheric plasma and magnetic field with the thin atmosphere and ionosphere of Europa. As a new effect compared to stationary models, we include periodic induced magnetic fields from the interior of the satellite. In addition to the induction by the time varying magnetospheric background field we also account for the periodic variations of the magnetospheric plasma at Europa which leads to a second order induction effect. We compare our results to the magnetic field data of the Galileo encounters with Europa.
DE: 6030 Magnetic fields and magnetism
DE: 6218 Jovian satellites
DE: 6221 Europa
SC: SPA-Solar and Heliospheric Physics [SH]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005