Other
Scientific paper
Dec 2009
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009agufmsm32b..01p&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2009, abstract #SM32B-01
Other
[0343] Atmospheric Composition And Structure / Planetary Atmospheres, [5704] Planetary Sciences: Fluid Planets / Atmospheres, [5706] Planetary Sciences: Fluid Planets / Aurorae
Scientific paper
Cassini's Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph (UVIS) continues to obtain Saturn auroral data. Two long slit spectral channels are used to obtain EUV data from 56.3-118.2 nm and FUV data from 111.5-191.3 nm. 64 spatial pixels along each slit are combined with slit motion to construct spectral images of Saturn. Auroral emissions are seen from electron-excited molecular and atomic hydrogen. In 2007-2009 UVIS obtained data with the spacecraft well out of Saturn's ring plane, permitting UVIS to obtain a number of short movies of the rotating auroral structures. Selected movies will be presented with geometric overlays and in polar projections. In some movies a cusp-like feature is present near noon inside the oval. One movie from 2008 day 201 shows parallel linear features on the day side almost at right angles to the main auroral oval that appear, then lengthen, separate in the middle, and then fade away. Other movies show similar cusp-related structures that resemble the letter "Q" where a dynamical feature at right angles to the oval moves away from the cusp region. The 2008 day 201 movie also shows one bright "polar flare" inside the oval with a spectrally distinct signature indicating the presence of higher energy electrons. A few of the most recent images were obtained at sufficiently close range that 2 spacecraft slews were needed to completely cover the oval. These images provide almost 100 pixels of information across the oval and clearly show multiple arcs of emission on the main oval and scattered emissions inside the oval. Several frames show emissions associated with the footprint of the Enceladus field line. We will discuss these features, their locations, and possible interpretations.
Ajello Joe
Clarke John T.
Colwell Joshua E.
Cowley Stanley W.
Crary Frank J.
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