Io's interaction with the plasma torus: Hybrid simulations

The volcanic moon Io is the source of much of the plasma in the Jovian magnetosphere. Neutrals originally from Io's volcanoes are ionized in the vicinity of Io and are picked up in the Jovian plasma. We use hybrid (kinetic ions and fluid electrons) three-dimensional simulation code to study the interaction of Jovian plasma with Io and kinetic properties of the surrounding plasma. We change rates of ionization processes at Io to study their effects on the interaction. Simulation results are compared with data measured by spacecraft Galileo.