Auroral precipitation flux of ions and electrons in Saturn's outer magnetosphere

Details Auroral precipitation flux of ions and electrons in Saturn's outer magnetosphere Auroral precipitation flux of ions and electrons in Saturn's outer magnetosphere

Oct 1990

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1990p%26ss...38.1295b&link_type=abstract

Planetary and Space Science (ISSN 0032-0633), vol. 38, Oct. 1990, p. 1295-1304.

Physics

11

Auroras, Particle Flux Density, Particle Precipitation, Planetary Magnetospheres, Saturn (Planet), Electron Density (Concentration), High Temperature Plasmas, Ion Density (Concentration), Planetary Magnetic Fields

Scientific paper

This paper examines particles and fields data obtained by Voyager in Saturn's outer magnetosphere with a view toward assessing the role that medium-energy ions and electrons have in stimulating the UV aurora. The magnetic field displays a high level of fluctuation of two characteristic types: large-scale coherent depressions in the field strength associated with the plumes of Titan and a small-scale incoherent turbulence presumed to be a consequence of the high-beta plasma environment. Electrons are assumed to interact strongly with lower hybrid waves and are accelerated to energies of a few kiloelectron volts. The available energy input to the aurora by protons is 5 x 10 to the 9th W, while an upper bound to that of N(+) ions is about 2 x 10 to the 10th W. Electrons in the range 1-10 keV can contribute upward of 5 x 10 to the 10th W and perhaps more if a field-aligned potential drop above the aurora is present. It is concluded that electrons are most likely the primary precipitation energy source for the aurora as a result of energy transfer from Titanogenic N(+) pickup ions in a corotation-dominated magnetosphere.

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