Abstract
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH,
VOL. 111,
A12210,
10 PP., 2006
doi:10.1029/2006JA011965
Saturn's auroral morphology and activity during quiet magnetospheric conditions
Laboratoire de Physique Atmosphérique et Planétaire, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium
Laboratoire de Physique Atmosphérique et Planétaire, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
Center for Space Physics, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
Imperial College, London, UK
Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA
Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, London, UK
We report the results of a coordinated Hubble Space Telescope-Cassini campaign that took place between 26 October and 2 November 2005. During this period, Saturn's magnetosphere was in an expanded state and the solar wind was quiet, as indicated by the location of the magnetopause, in situ particle measurements, weak auroral SKR emission, and the generally low brightness of the aurora. We describe the morphology and dynamics of the aurora during this period in parallel with concurrent Cassini measurements. We show that the aurora exhibits considerable longitudinal structure and time variations over intervals of a few hours, in spite of the absence of observable external triggers and generally low intensity. In particular, enhancements of the dawn-morning oval are seen while no apparent indication of solar wind activity is observed. These features rotate at a speed corresponding to about 65% of the planet's angular velocity. We also describe energetic neutral atom measurements indicating that an ENA acceleration event occurred in the magnetotail on 26 October without any measured signature of solar wind activation. These observations suggest an intrinsically dynamical magnetosphere where injection of hot plasma occasionally takes place in the night or dawn sector during quiet magnetospheric conditions, possibly connected with either the Dungey or the Vasyliunas convection cycle.
Received 10 July 2006; accepted 6 October 2006; published 16 December 2006.
Citation: (2006), Saturn's auroral morphology and activity during quiet magnetospheric conditions, J. Geophys. Res., 111, A12210, doi:10.1029/2006JA011965.
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