Auroral Formation and Plasma Interaction Between Magnetized Objects Simulated With the Planeterrella

Author

Gronoff, Guillaume ; Wedlund, Cyril Simon

Author_Institution

NASA Langley Res. Center, Hampton, VA, USA

Volume

39

Issue

11

fYear

2011

Firstpage

2712

Lastpage

2713

Abstract

The Planeterrella is a space plasma simulator, based on Kristian Birkeland´s historical experiment, the “Terrella.” This device not only makes it possible to simulate interactions between an electrode and a magnetized sphere in many different geometries but also to simulate interactions between two magnetized spheres. Such configurations allow the visualization of phenomena unknown to Birkeland, such as an emitting body (Io) immersed in a magnetosphere (Jupiter) or the aurora on the night side of a planet where one magnetic pole points toward the Sun (Uranus).

Keywords

Jupiter; Uranus; astrophysical plasma; planetary atmospheres; planetary satellites; plasma interactions; plasma magnetohydrodynamics; plasma simulation; Io; Jupiter; Planeterrella; Sun; Terrella; Uranus; auroral formation; electrode; emitting body; magnetic pole; magnetized objects; magnetized sphere; magnetosphere; phenomena visualization; plasma interaction; space plasma simulator; Electrodes; Magnetosphere; Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy; Planets; Plasmas; Trajectory; Glow discharge devices; ionosphere; magnetosphere; planets; plasma devices;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0093-3813

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TPS.2011.2147804

Filename

5772016