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AGU: Geophysical Research Letters

 

Keywords

  • Saturn
  • magnetosphere
  • periodicities

Index Terms

  • Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects: Saturn
  • Planetary Sciences: Fluid Planets: Magnetospheres
  • Magnetospheric Physics: Magnetosphere: outer
  • Magnetospheric Physics: Magnetospheric configuration and dynamics
  • Magnetospheric Physics: Plasma sheet

Abstract

Thermal electron periodicities at 20RS in Saturn's magnetosphere

C. S. Arridge

Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Dorking, UK

Centre for Planetary Sciences, University College London, London, UK

N. André

Research and Scientific Support Department, European Space Agency, Noordwijk, Netherlands

N. Achilleos

Centre for Planetary Sciences, University College London, London, UK

Atmospheric Physics Laboratory, University College London, London, UK

K. K. Khurana

Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA

C. L. Bertucci

Space and Atmospheric Physics Group, Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, London, UK

L. K. Gilbert

Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Dorking, UK

G. R. Lewis

Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Dorking, UK

A. J. Coates

Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Dorking, UK

Centre for Planetary Sciences, University College London, London, UK

M. K. Dougherty

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: Arridge, C. S., N. André, N. Achilleos, K. K. Khurana, C. L. Bertucci, L. K. Gilbert, G. R. Lewis, A. J. Coates, and M. K. Dougherty (2008), Thermal electron periodicities at 20RS in Saturn's magnetosphere, Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L15107, doi:10.1029/2008GL034132.

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