On the Relation Between Jupiter's Aurora and the Dawnside Current Sheet

Jupiter's auroral emission is a spectacular phenomenon that provides insight into energy release processes related to the coupling of its magnetosphere and ionosphere. This energy release is influenced by solar wind conditions. Using joint observations from Juno and the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), we statistically investigate the relationship between auroral power and current sheet variations under different solar wind conditions. In this study, we reveal that during global main auroral brightening events that are closely connected to solar wind compressions, the dawn side current sheet is substantially thinner than during times when a quiet auroral morphology is present. Furthermore, the total current intensity in the current sheet is found to increase under solar wind compression conditions compared to the quiet period. These findings provide important observational evidence for how magnetospheric dynamics driven by solar wind behavior affect auroral activity, deepening our understanding of the coupling between Jupiter's magnetosphere and ionosphere. Plain Language Summary Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, has a fascinating and powerful auroral emission that can help us understand the interactions between its magnetic field and the charged particles in its atmosphere. These auroral emissions are influenced by solar wind conditions, which are streams of charged particles coming from the Sun. In this study, we used observations from the Juno spacecraft and the Hubble Space Telescope to investigate the relationship between Jupiter's auroral emissions and changes in the planet's magnetic field. We found that during periods of increased solar wind pressure, the magnetic field layer, known as the current sheet, becomes thinner compared to times when the aurora is quiet. These findings offer valuable evidence of how Jupiter's magnetic field is affected by solar wind behavior and improve our understanding of the relationship between the planet's magnetic field and its aurora. This research helps us better comprehend the complex processes occurring in Jupiter's magnetosphere and can potentially enhance our knowledge of similar phenomena occurring on other planets. Key Points The features of the current sheet in Jupiter's dawnside magnetosphere are highly relevant to auroral contexts During a solar wind compression event, the dawnside current sheet becomes substantially thinner than during quiet times The total current intensity of the current she