Characterising the magnetic and plasma environment upstream of Ganymede

Abstract

We present an application of the latest UCL‐AGA magnetodisc model (MDISC) to the study of the magnetic and plasma conditions in the near‐Ganymede space. By doing this, we provide a comparison with measurements from Juno's most recent flyby of the Jovian moon, perijove 34 (PJ34). We find good agreement between the model results and the magnetometer data, pointing toward a hot plasma index value K_h = (2.719 ± 0.024) × 10⁷ Pa m T^{− 1} and an effective magnetodisc radius r_max = (79.5 ± 1.1) Jupiter radii for the Jovian magnetosphere, for the duration of the trajectory, suggesting a configuration with middling levels of expansion. We also predict the plasma conditions observed by Juno during the same flight‐path, as well as the typical conditions over the orbit of Ganymede, with the magnetic and hot plasma pressures assuming dominant roles. Finally, these results are compared with functional fits of a compilation of Galileo flyby data obtained in the vicinity of Ganymede's orbit, suggesting Juno experienced somewhat similar conditions, despite a systematic overestimation in magnetic field intensity in the near‐Ganymede space.