A diffusive equilibrium model for the plasma density in Saturn's magnetosphere

A. M. Persoon; Donald A. Gurnett; Ondrej Santolýk; William S. Kurth; J. B. Faden; J. B. Groene; G. R. Lewis; A. J. Coates; R. J. Wilson; R. L. Tokar; Jan-Erik Wahlund; Michel Moncuquet

doi:10.1029/2008JA013912

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A diffusive equilibrium model for the plasma density in Saturn's magnetosphere

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A diffusive equilibrium model for the plasma density in Saturn's magnetosphere

A. M. Persoon, Donald A. Gurnett, Ondrej Santolýk, William S. Kurth, J. B. Faden, J. B. Groene, G. R. Lewis, A. J. Coates, R. J. Wilson, R. L. Tokar, …

Journal of geophysical research. Space physics, Vol.114(A4), pp.04211-n/a

05/01/2009

DOI: 10.1029/2008JA013912

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Abstract

Electron density measurements have been obtained by the Cassini Radio and Plasma Wave Science (RPWS) instrument for more than 50 passes through Saturn's inner magnetosphere from 30 June 2004 to 30 September 2007. The electron densities are derived from RPWS measurements of the upper hybrid resonance frequency and span latitudes up to 35° and L values from 3.6 to 10. The electron density measurements are combined with ion anisotropy measurements from the Cassini Plasma Spectrometer (CAPS) and electron temperature measurements from the RPWS and CAPS to develop a diffusive equilibrium model for the distribution of water group ions, hydrogen ions, and electrons in the inner region of Saturn's magnetosphere. The model uses an analytical solution of the field-aligned force equation, including the ambipolar electric field, to determine the equatorial ion densities and scale heights as a function of L. Density contour plots for water group ions, hydrogen ions, and electrons are presented.

Astrophysics

Physics

Details

Title: Subtitle: A diffusive equilibrium model for the plasma density in Saturn's magnetosphere
Creators: A. M. Persoon - University of Iowa
Donald A. Gurnett - University of Iowa
Ondrej Santolýk - Charles University
William S. Kurth - University of Iowa
J. B. Faden - University of Iowa
J. B. Groene - University of Iowa
G. R. Lewis - University College London
A. J. Coates - University College London
R. J. Wilson - Los Alamos National Laboratory
R. L. Tokar - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Jan-Erik Wahlund - Swedish Institute of Space Physics
Michel Moncuquet - Laboratoire d’études spatiales et d’instrumentation en astrophysique
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of geophysical research. Space physics, Vol.114(A4), pp.04211-n/a
Publisher: American Geophysical Union/Wiley
DOI: 10.1029/2008JA013912
ISSN: 2169-9380
eISSN: 2169-9402
Language: English
Date published: 05/01/2009
Academic Unit: Physics and Astronomy
Record Identifier: 9984455365302771

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