Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2006
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006agufmsm22b..01m&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2006, abstract #SM22B-01
Physics
2720 Energetic Particles: Trapped, 2736 Magnetosphere/Ionosphere Interactions (2431), 2740 Magnetospheric Configuration And Dynamics, 2756 Planetary Magnetospheres (5443, 5737, 6033), 2760 Plasma Convection (2463)
Scientific paper
We present our latest analysis on energetic particle (and ENA) modulation at or near Saturn's rotation rate, and possible relationships between those observations and the rotation period derived from SKR. We speculate on what drives the observed modulation. There appear to be at least three slightly different drivers for the observations - first, we see "active" plasma acceleration regions that sub-corotate, probably at the local plasma convection velocity; second we see ENA emissions that are consistent with triggering by the beating between local time and a particular planetary longitude (as defined by the SKR-derived longitude system - Kurth et al., Lecacheux et al.); and energetic ion and electron enhancements beyond 20 Rs that are also in synch with something very close to the SKR period, and most clearly seen in the magnetotail. This third type of event may be consistent with current sheet motion (similar to what is seen at Jupiter), suggesting the possibility that Saturn's dipole is NOT spin aligned, but has a slight tilt. Why the period of the various rotation-modulated quantities varies slowly with time (Kurth et al., 2006) remains unknown. We suspect the drift to be the expression in the magnetic field of fluid motions that drive (possibly seasonal) differential and variable rotation of regions in or below Saturn's atmosphere. The modulation seen in ENA at Saturn will be contrasted with observations made during the Cassini Jupiter flyby, when no modulation was identified at Jupiter's rotation period.
C:son Brandt Pontus
Carbary James F.
Krimigis Stamatios M.
Krupp Norbert
Mauk B. E.
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