Dust in jupiter's magnetosphere: Physical processes

The physical processes acting on charged microscopic dust grains in the Jovian magnetosphere are examined. Such small dust grains are believed to be injected continuously into the magnetosphere via volcanic activity on Io. It is shown that electromagnetic forces dominate the dust particle dynamics, and that these particles behave adiabatically, in the sense that the guiding centre approximation to their motion applies. Based on this fact, the diffusion across field lines, caused by random charge fluctuations of the dust grains, can be determined. This diffusion is the major cross field transport mechanism and determines the dispersion of dust grains from Io throughout the inner Jovian magnetosphere. Other physical processes (radiation pressure drag, Coulomb drag, sputtering) are also examined regarding their importance for particle transport.