The Underexplored Frontier of Ice Giant Dynamos

Overview

Journal Philos Trans A Math Phys Eng Sci

Specialties Biomedical Engineering
Biophysics
Public Health

Date 2020 Nov 9

PMID 33161852

Citations 8

Authors

K M Soderlund

S Stanley

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The flybys of Uranus and Neptune revealed the first multipolar planetary magnetic fields and highlighted how much we have yet to learn about ice giant planets. In this review, we summarize observations of Uranus' and Neptune's magnetic fields and place them in the context of other planetary dynamos. The ingredients for dynamo action in general, and for the ice giants in particular, are discussed, as are the factors thought to control magnetic field strength and morphology. These ideas are then applied to Uranus and Neptune, where we show that no models are yet able to fully explain their observed magnetic fields. We then propose future directions for missions, modelling, experiments and theory necessary to answer outstanding questions about the dynamos of ice giant planets, both within our solar system and beyond. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Future exploration of ice giant systems'.

Citing Articles

Phase separation of planetary ices explains nondipolar magnetic fields of Uranus and Neptune.

Militzer B Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024; 121(49):e2403981121.

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Cohen I, Smith E, Clark G, Turner D, Ellison D, Clare B Space Sci Rev. 2023; 219(8):65.

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Metallic Aluminum Suboxides with Ultrahigh Electrical Conductivity at High Pressure.

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