Io magnetospheric phenomena

A variety of physical processes associated with mass loading and energy transfer from Io to the Jovian magnetosphere can be found in the Io plasma torus. Most of these observed features could be unified in a coherent pattern by invoking a large-scale dawn-to-dusk electric field generated by the planetary magnetospheric mass outflow. However, a number of major puzzles such as the occurrence of auroral hiss at the inner edge of the hot plasma torus remain unexplained. Measurements by the Galileo mission will provide the much needed information diagnostic of the pertinent plasma structures and processes.