Ion-cyclotron waves at Jupiter - Possibility of detection by Ulysses

Recent thermal plasma data and a computer code by Horne (1989) are employed to evaluate the linear-path-integrated gain of waves propagating through the Io to predict the Jovian plasma-wave environment. Estimates of the nonlinear saturation amplitudes are utilized with the thermal plasma data from two frequency bands to study the convective growth of the ion-cyclotron (IC) waves. Strong cyclotron resonant damping is theorized to prevent wave propagation to the lower latitudes, and the thermal plasma and cyclotron resonant energetic ions are expected to further confine the IC waves. L-mode waves below the O(+) gyrofrequency in the equatorial region of the torus are shown to inhabit an unstable region. The IC waves probably achieve nonlinear amplitudes regardless of plasma properties due to the rapid amplification in this region. It is suggested that the Ulysses data complicate the identification of the waves because the magnetometer is not adequately sensitive and because of the low frequency of the plasma-wave detector.