Large magnetic fields in planets and their satellites are thought to arise from dynamo generation, the same process responsible for Earth's magnetic field. A wealth of recent data, mainly from the Galilean satellites of Jupiter and the planet Mars, together with major improvements in our theoretical modeling effort of the dynamo process, have allowed a significant increase in our understanding. However, it is still not possible to state with confidence why only some planets and large satellites have dynamos. A major issue is whether convection can be sustained in a region of adequate electrical conductivity. This depends on the composition and evolution of planets. Even if convection is present, there are criteria that must be satisfied for a dynamo. These have both purely dynamical and energetic aspects. This article concerns all the observed fields, but with emphasis on those that appear to require a dynamo process.
These dynamos arise from thermal or compositional convection in...
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Stevenson, D.J. (2007). Dynamos, Planetary and Satellite. In: Gubbins, D., Herrero-Bervera, E. (eds) Encyclopedia of Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-4423-6_84
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