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In situ observations of a solar wind compression-induced hot plasma injection in Saturn's tail
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Dorking, UK
Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College, London, UK
Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Dorking, UK
During the Saturn orbit insertion (SOI) fly-through of the Cassini spacecraft, Saturn's magnetosphere underwent a significant corotating interaction region (CIR) related compression. Such compressions have recently been suggested to produce rapid bursts of tail reconnection, enhanced Saturn kilometric radiation (SKR), and consequent auroral dynamics. On the outbound pass the spacecraft became engulfed by hot plasma, associated with a reduction in field strength, and a change in orientation indicative of a dipolarisation. Concurrently, a substantial enhancement in SKR emissions took place, together with a disruption of the typical planetary modulation. We suggest this is the first in situ evidence of compression-related tail collapse via magnetic reconnection and hot plasma acceleration in Saturn's magnetotail.
Received 3 March 2005; accepted 13 June 2005; published 9 July 2005.
Citation: (2005), In situ observations of a solar wind compression-induced hot plasma injection in Saturn's tail, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L20S04, doi:10.1029/2005GL022888.
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