In 2017, a significant solar wind event impacted Jupiter, leading to unexpected atmospheric heating, according to researchers at the University of Reading. The dense solar wind compressed Jupiter's magnetosphere, resulting in a superheated zone extending across half the planet. Temperatures in this zone exceeded 500°C, significantly higher than the typical 350°C in Jupiter's upper atmosphere.
The study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, highlights the unprecedented nature of this observation. Dr. James O'Donoghue, the lead researcher, noted that this was the first time such an atmospheric response had been witnessed on an outer planet. The compression of Jupiter's magnetic field by the solar wind intensified auroral heating near the poles, causing superheated gases to move towards the equator and expand the upper atmosphere. This finding challenges previous assumptions that Jupiter's rapid spin would confine auroral heating to the polar regions.
Data from the Keck telescope, NASA's Juno probe, and solar wind simulations were combined in the research. Professor Mathew Owens, a co-author, emphasized the importance of these findings for improving space weather forecasting and protecting Earth's infrastructure from similar solar events. Understanding Jupiter's response to solar wind helps scientists predict and mitigate the effects of solar storms on our own planet, which could disrupt GPS, communications, and power grids.