The Magnetodiscs and Aurorae of Giant Planets

This volume contains the reports discussed during the Workshop “Giant Planet Magne- todiscs and Aurorae” held 26–30 November 2012, at the International Space Science Insti- tute, organised together with the Europlanet project, supported by FP7 (Grant No. 228319).
Magnetodiscs are large current sheets surrounding Jupiter and Saturn (also Uranus and Neptune) that are filled with plasma principally originating in the natural satellites of these worlds. They are also solar system analogues for astrophysical discs. Magnetodiscs are spe- cial features of the fast rotating giant planets, a special feature of rotationally driven magne- tospheres. Their structure is modified by variability in their plasma sources and by the solar wind. Auroral signatures in the optical and radio wavebands allow a diagnostic of these dynamical processes and enable the visualisation of these large plasma and field structures.The objective of this workshop was to address outstanding issues in the structure and dynamics of magnetodiscs using a comparative approach (see details under topics). More specifically, we aimed to review current understanding of magnetodiscs and auroral re- sponses to magnetodisc dynamics; characterise and understand radial plasma transport in magnetodiscs; determine how magnetic reconnection works in magnetodiscs, and describe the effects on plasma transport; describe the associated auroral responses to internal and ex- ternal magnetospheric processes; characterise how the solar wind influences magnetodiscs and the auroral responses to solar wind-driven dynamics; characterise the spectral and spa- tial properties of auroral emissions produced by magnetodisc dynamics; answer the ques- tion of whether there are significant differences between solar wind- and internally-driven dynamics; and determine the sources of local-time asymmetries in magnetodiscs.
This volume is a unique synthesis of all aspects of the giant magnetospheres and their aurorae; it provides an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the coupled system from the solar wind to the atmosphere; it combines the latest observations with current theory and models; and it also contains sufficient breadth for students of magnetospheric and space physics to use as a reference for future research.