Juno finds Jupiter's bow shock is more complex than Earth's

NASA's Juno spacecraft has revealed that Jupiter shields itself from the solar wind using plasma waves at multiple frequencies, or harmonics, plus smaller shocklets ahead of its main bow shock. Earth relies on a single-frequency wave and one boundary; the December 2024 data could help model supernova remnant shocks.

• Jupiter slows solar wind with plasma waves at multiple harmonic frequencies
• Smaller shocklets slow particles before the main bow shock
• Earth uses single-frequency waves and a single shock boundary
• Juno data may help model shock waves in supernova remnants