Scientists identify unexpected variations in electrons connecting Jupiter with its moon Io
Tuesday, March 11, 2025 - 13:05
in Astronomy & Space
Using data collected by NASA's Juno spacecraft as it flew past Jupiter's highly volcanic moon Io in late 2023 and again in early 2024, a Southwest Research Institute-led team identified electrons with energies enhanced by processes in the region connecting the moon to Jupiter's ionosphere, called an Alfvén wing. A paper published in Geophysical Research Letters emphasizes how these electrons, and their variation within that region, shape the plasma environment around Io.
