Initial results from the Cassini CAPS Instruments at the Magnetopause of Saturn

Details Initial results from the Cassini CAPS Instruments at the Magnetopause of Saturn Initial results from the Cassini CAPS Instruments at the Magnetopause of Saturn

Dec 2004

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2004agufm.p51a1402m&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2004, abstract #P51A-1402

Physics

2700 Magnetospheric Physics, 2724 Magnetopause, Cusp, And Boundary Layers, 2728 Magnetosheath, 2731 Magnetosphere: Outer

Scientific paper

Cassini entered orbit about Saturn on 1st July 2004 providing the first opportunity since Voyager to sample the Saturnian magnetospheric plasma regions. In this presentation we concentrate on the series of magnetopause encounters made by the spacecraft during its inbound trajectory, in particular we present data from the Cassini CAPS Electron Spectrometer (ELS) instrument which measures electrons from 0.58eV-26keV. The ELS instrument collected comprehensive electron data with an unprecedented temporal and energy response throughout the duration of these magnetopause crossings with the timing of the crossings being identified from the change of characteristics of the low energy electron populations. All crossings were made at local times of 07:43 to 07:48 MLT at magnetic latitudes of ˜ -15 degrees. The electron density and temperature within the magnetosheath regions were ~ 1.3×105m-3 and ˜ 40eV respectively. Within the magnetosphere the plasma was more rarefied (~ 1.2×104m-3) with an increased electron temperature of up to several 100eV. The crossings appeared to exhibit varied features associated with different magnetopause configurations. Some are associated with very sharp discontinuities in the electron data, possibly indicating a closed boundary, while others appear to be associated with an interior boundary layer. Some brief magnetosphere entries reveal unusual plasma regions separate from the magnetopause and immersed in the ambient plasma possibly indicating FTE's or boundary layers. We present results from an initial analysis of each of these crossings using the low energy electrons and incorporating results from the CAPS ion instruments where possible. Magnetic field data has also been used to put the particle results in context.

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