Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Sep 2006
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006dps....38.4105a&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #38, #41.05; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 38, p.558
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
It is well known that the magnetic tails of the Earth and the outer planets are bent by the solar wind, such that at large distances, typically larger than the stand-off distance of the magnetopause, the magnetotail becomes parallel to the solar wind flow. The effect on the dayside magnetosphere is less well studied. At the Earth and Jupiter, the magnetic equator becomes parallel to the solar wind on the dayside. The curious dipole tilt and obliquity at Neptune have led researchers to suggest that Neptune's magnetotail forms a conic section downstream of the planet.
Observations of Saturn's magnetospheric magnetic field using the Cassini magnetometer suggest that Cassini has been in the southern magnetic hemisphere for the majority of it's first two years in-orbit. Since these orbits are near-equatorial the implication is that the magnetic equator is distorted northward (fior northern hemisphere winter) not only in the magnetotail, but also on the dayside and flanks. Thus Saturn's magnetic equator and equatorial current sheet form a "bowl-shape" geometry.
In this paper we discuss these observations, present a model for the distorted current sheet geometry, and discuss the interpretation in the context of the solar-wind distortions at the Earth and Jupiter. We also comment on the relationship to the solar-wind distortion of the Neptunian magnetosphere.
Arridge Christopher
Dougherty K. M. K. M.
Khurana Krishan K.
Russell Christopher T.
Southwood David J.
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