Io and its plasma environment

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Abstract
We describe and examine the interaction of Io with its plasma torus and the Jovian magnetic field in the context of several currently popular models. We address three specific matters. First, we discuss features implied by sub‐Alfvenic flow which must be common to all models. Next, we examine the magnetic signature observed near Io by the Goddard Space Flight Center Voyager 1 magnetometer and point out that the preliminary estimate of 5 × 106 A current may be an overestimate. We obtain good fits with alternative current distributions which yield currents as small as 7 × 105 A through Io. The best fits are obtained for an Alfven Mach number (MA) of 0.15, but good fits are also found for 0.1 <MA <0.25. Lastly, we point out the crucial role of charged particle data for probing the near Io interaction. We use published data from the low energy charged particle (LECP) detector to suggest that Io has an intrinsic magnetic field of magnitude comparable with earlier estimates. We make predictions which can test this picture as further data become available.

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