This figure illustrates the motions of the interior which contribute toward generating the magnetosphere.
Click on image for full size
Image from: Random House Atlas
The Generation of Uranus' Magnetosphere
Magnetospheres are generated with 1.) magnetic materials and 2.) with motions within the magnetic material.
The terrestrial planets generate magnetospheres within the iron cores at the center. This leads to dipole-shaped, rounded magnetic fields. However, Uranus has almost no iron core.
The magnetic material of Uranus is found within the icy shells found within Uranus. Motions within those shells produce the magnetic field.
Shop Windows to the Universe Science Store!
Learn about Earth and space science, and have fun while doing it! The
games section of our
online store includes a
climate change card game and the
Traveling Nitrogen game!
You might also be interested in:
The magnetosphere of Uranus is medium sized, but still much larger than the Earth's. It extends well beyond the orbits of Uranus' moons. It is probably generated in the icy interior layers, rather than
...more
A magnetometer is an instrument for measuring magnetic fields. Many spacecraft carry magnetometers to measure the magnetic fields around planets they orbit or fly by. When a spacecraft takes such measurements,
...more
The planet Uranus has an odd magnetic field. The planet's magnetic poles are nowhere near the geographic poles (as defined by the spin axis) of Uranus. A portion of the magnetic field of Uranus is a dipole
...more
Uranus' plasmasphere is tiny. The rings of Uranus sweep away much of the particles in the area. Particles enter the plasmasphere from the atmosphere as well as the magnetotail. Mathematical theory suggests
...more
There is not very much radio noise within the magnetosphere of Uranus. Signals are observed with much less power than observed at Saturn, but several times greater than observed at Earth. The signals
...more
Besides methane, Uranus' atmosphere contains more sophisticated atmospheric molecules such as ethane gas, acetylene, and diacetylene. All these molecules form layers of haze at different altitudes high
...more
The mesosphere of Uranus is a region of balance between warming and cooling. That essentially means that nothing happens there. Except for diffusion, the atmosphere is still. Upper reaches of the atmosphere,
...more
