Moment Calculations For Low Energy Ions In Jupiter's Magnetotail From Nasa's New Horizons Mission
Abstract
Jupiter's magnetosphere and magnetotail is the largest cohesive structure in our solar system which extends to the orbit of Saturn. One of NASA's objectives is to understand how universal bodies interact with its surroundings. The New Horizons (NH) mission is the first satellite to traverse axially through the Jovian magnetotail and obtain in-situ data. The Solar Wind Around Pluto (SWAP) instrument onboard NH measured low energy ions from 35eV to 7.5 keV in the Jovian magnetotail during its fly-by. We analyzed SWAP data from 500-1750 Jovian radii (RJ) when the spacecraft was spinning. A 3D phase-space density fitting procedure was constructed to calculate fluid moments, such as densities, velocities, Mach numbers, temperatures, and thermal pressures, to better understand the ion characteristics in the magnetotail. The results indicate that Jupiter's magnetotail is a highly dynamic region with tremendous variations.