Effects of Io's volcanos on the plasma torus and Jupiter's magnetosphere

A model is presented of a neutral gas torus produced in Io's orbit by volcanic SO2 escaping from Io whose ionization and dissociation is the main source of plasma in Jupiter's magnetosphere. A 30-50 keV S and O ion plasma results from ionization of S and O atoms in highly eccentric elliptical orbits around Jupiter; these atoms are created by dissociative attachment of SO2 by electrons with energies below 10 eV. The model also includes intrinsic time variability in the Jovian magnetosphere caused by variations in Io's volcanic activity; negative ions are predicted in the Io plasma torus.