Structure and Dynamics of Jupiter's Plasma Sheet

This project will focus on theoretical modelling and spacecraft observations of the fields and particles associated with Jupiter's magnetodisc. This is an enormous sheet of plasma which is a central feature of the planet's rotationally-driven magnetosphere. The student will send study the variability of the physical conditions in the magnetodisc plasma upstream of Jupiter's moon, Ganymede. Following this, the student will develop new methods of modelling the magnetic field of magnetodisc current sheets at Saturn and / or Jupiter. In particular, methods traditionally used for modelling the internal magnetic fields of planets (inversion using a mathematical model linear in its parameters) will be investigated and adapted for the current sheet field. The datasets to be used will come from the Cassini and / or Galileo/Juno missions.