The magnetic field of Neptune

Abstract The planetary magnetic field of Neptune, with its large dipole tilt (approximately 47°) and complex structure, is similar to that of Uranus. Since Voyager's flyby trajectory brought the spacecraft much closer to this planet (closest approach = 1.18 R n ) than its predecessors, and Uranus in particular, the rich complexity of the field is evidenced in the closest approach data as never before. The combination of a close flyby trajectory and a very complex field presents a formidable challenge to unique interpretation of the magnetic field observations. We present a model of this extraordinary field and discuss the limitations/uniqueness of our result.

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