Quasi-1D plasma layers with strong current density, current sheets, are key elements of planetary magnetotails, where they play a role of magnetic field energy reservoir and primary host for charged particle acceleration. The classical magnetotail current sheet configuration is supported by isotropic plasma pressure gradients. However, recent spacecraft observations in the Jovian magnetotail reveal very thin, ion kinetic scale current sheets, where isotropic plasma pressure cannot balance the tension force of the magnetic field lines. Using analogy with the Earth's magnetotail, where such current sheets have been previously observed and explained, we construct a kinetic model of 1D thin current sheet with the plasma characteristics typical for the Jovian magnetotail. The model describes spacecraft observations in the Jovian magnetotail in the context of thin current sheet balanced by agyrotropic pressure of hot heavy ions. We discuss general importance of such ion agyrotropy for thin current sheet formation in the planetary magnetotails.
Setsko et al. (Sun,) studied this question.