Abstract
Thermal electron periodicities at 20RS in Saturn's magnetosphere
Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Dorking, UK
Centre for Planetary Sciences, University College London, London, UK
Research and Scientific Support Department, European Space Agency, Noordwijk, Netherlands
Centre for Planetary Sciences, University College London, London, UK
Atmospheric Physics Laboratory, University College London, London, UK
Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
Space and Atmospheric Physics Group, Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London, UK
Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Dorking, UK
Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Dorking, UK
Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Dorking, UK
Centre for Planetary Sciences, University College London, London, UK
Space and Atmospheric Physics Group, Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London, UK
Cassini fields and particles observations show clear evidence of periodic phenomena in Saturn's magnetosphere. Periodicities have been observed in kilometric radio emissions, total electron density (in the inner magnetosphere), magnetic fields, and energetic particles (in the outer magnetosphere). In this letter the first analysis of periodicities in thermal electron densities in Saturn's outer magnetosphere are presented. Plasma sheet electron densities and temperatures at 20 ± 2 R S in Saturn's magnetosphere are studied and examined as a function of SLS3 longitude. Evidence for a density minimum at 170° is presented which is in excellent agreement with total electron density results in the 3–5 R S range. The density asymmetry is interpreted as the result of a periodic plasma sheet motion where the northward offset of the plasma sheet varies with longitude hence producing a density modulation in the equatorial plane. The effect of magnetospheric compressions on the dayside density asymmetry are discussed.
Received 23 March 2008; accepted 11 June 2008; published 13 August 2008.
Citation: (2008), Thermal electron periodicities at 20RS in Saturn's magnetosphere, Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L15107, doi:10.1029/2008GL034132.
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