Dusk-brightening Event in Saturn's H+3 Aurora

Details Dusk-brightening Event in Saturn's H+3 Aurora Dusk-brightening Event in Saturn's H+3 Aurora

Feb 2008

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008apj...673l.203s&link_type=abstract

The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 673, Issue 2, pp. L203-L206.

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

2

Atmospheric Effects, Infrared: Solar System, Planets And Satellites: Individual: Saturn

Scientific paper

We report on a unique dusk-brightening event within Saturn's aurorae. Measurements of the H+3 infrared aurora using the CSHELL instrument on NASA's Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF), made in 2005 December, show an auroral intensity structure unlike anything previously detected. The aurora has a significantly brighter dusk sector over three Earth nights, a period in excess of 5 Saturnian days, suggesting a consistent source for this emission, stable in position within the magnetosphere. However, unlike previously detected dawn-brightening events, the overall auroral brightness remains low and the ion wind structure appears unaffected. Using the location of magnetopause crossings as a proxy for the solar wind pressure, the solar wind appears to be exceptionally rarefied. This leads us to conclude that the dusk-brightening event is strongly linked with the unusual solar wind conditions at the time of the observations.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Dusk-brightening Event in Saturn's H+3 Aurora does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Dusk-brightening Event in Saturn's H+3 Aurora, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Dusk-brightening Event in Saturn's H+3 Aurora will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1873602