Physics – Plasma Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2009
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009agufmsm32b..09s&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2009, abstract #SM32B-09
Physics
Plasma Physics
[5443] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Magnetospheres, [6275] Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects / Saturn, [7807] Space Plasma Physics / Charged Particle Motion And Acceleration
Scientific paper
We have performed a multi-instrument analysis of the plasma injections in the region 5 to 10 Saturnian radii for all Cassini orbits from Fall 2005 to Spring 2006. The first result of this study is that one to two groups of these injections for each crossing can be characterized by an unexpected wave activity in the 2 to 30 kHz frequency range in addition to the typical observation of a significant change in the magnetic field strength simultaneously occurring with a drastic change in the densities of the low-energy and hot electron populations. Using the formalism described in the 1980s for modeling the disk currents of Jupiter and Saturn, we have calculated the ring current's parameters and found that these transient events are located near the inner edge of Saturn's current system. The analysis of the solar-wind parameters calculated by the Michigan Solar Wind Model further shows that transient events can be correlated with changes in the solar wind speed and density, and interplanetary magnetic field. These facts thus raise the question regarding the processes governing plasma dynamics within Saturn's magnetosphere and their response to solar wind conditions. In this paper, we present the results of our on-going investigation of the origins of transient events and their link to magnetospheric perturbations. We will discuss the possibility that local plasma dynamics driven by solar wind conditions contribute to the circulation of plasma, as well as the generation of plasma waves near the inner edge of Saturn's ring current.
Andre Nicolas
Arridge Christopher S.
Bolton James S.
Cecconi Baptiste
Coates Andrew J.
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