Description 

Magnetodiscs are large current sheets surrounding Jupiter and Saturn that are filled with plasma principally originating in the natural satellites. They are also solar system analogues for astrophysical discs. Magnetodiscs are special features of the fast rotating giant planets, a special feature of rotationally driven magnetospheres. They are driven by variability in their plasma sources and by the solar wind. Auroral signatures in the optical and radio allow a diagnostic of these dynamical processes and enable the visualisation of these large plasma and field structures.

Objectives

The objective of this workshop is to address outstanding issues in the structure and dynamics of magnetodiscs using a comparative approach (see details under topics):

• Review current understanding of magnetodiscs and auroral responses to magnetodisc dynamics.
• Characterise and understand radial plasma transport in magnetodiscs.
• Determine how magnetic reconnection works in magnetodiscs, what are the effects on plasma transport, and what are the associated auroral responses to magnetic reconnection.
• Characterise how the solar wind influences magnetodiscs and the auroral responses to solar wind-driven dynamics.
• Characterise the spectral and spatial properties of auroral emissions produced by magnetodisc dynamics – are there significant differences between solar wind- and internally-driven dynamics?
• Determine the sources of local-time asymmetries in magnetodiscs.