@article{Kaweeyanun:2021:10.1029/2021JA029338,
author = {Kaweeyanun, N and Masters, A and Jia, X},
doi = {10.1029/2021JA029338},
journal = {Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics},
pages = {1--14},
title = {Analytical assessment of Kelvin-Helmholtz instability growth at Ganymede's upstream magnetopause},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2021JA029338},
volume = {126},
year = {2021}
}

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TY  - JOUR
AB  - Ganymede is the only Solar System moon that generates a permanent magnetic field. Dynamics within the Ganymedean magnetosphere is thought to be driven by energy-transfer interactions on its upstream magnetopause. Previously in Kaweeyanun et al. (2020), https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL086228 we created a steady-state analytical model of Ganymede's magnetopause and predicted global-scale magnetic reconnection to occur frequently throughout the surface. This paper subsequently provides the first assessment of Kelvin-Helmholtz (K-H) instability growth on the magnetopause. Using the same analytical model, we find that linear K-H waves are expected on both Ganymedean magnetopause flanks. Once formed, the waves propagate downstream at roughly half the speed of the external Jovian plasma flow. The Ganymedean K-H instability growth is asymmetric between magnetopause flanks due to the finite Larmor radius effect arising from large gyroradii of Jovian plasma ions. A small but notable enhancement is expected on the sub-Jovian flank according to the physical understanding of bulk plasma and local ion flows alongside comparisons to the well-observed magnetopause of Mercury. Further evaluation shows that nonlinear K-H vortices should be strongly suppressed by concurring global-scale magnetic reconnection at Ganymede. Reconnection is therefore the dominant cross-magnetopause energy-transfer mechanism and driver of global-scale plasma convection within Ganymede's magnetosphere.
AU  - Kaweeyanun,N
AU  - Masters,A
AU  - Jia,X
DO  - 10.1029/2021JA029338
EP  - 14
PY  - 2021///
SN  - 2169-9380
SP  - 1
TI  - Analytical assessment of Kelvin-Helmholtz instability growth at Ganymede's upstream magnetopause
T2  - Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2021JA029338
UR  - https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2021JA029338
UR  - http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/90838
VL  - 126
ER  - 

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