Journal article
Earliest recorded ground-based decameter wavelength observations of Saturn’s lightning during the giant E-storm detected by Cassini spacecraft in early 2006
Icarus (New York, N.Y. 1962), Vol.224(1), pp.14-23
05/2013
DOI: 10.1016/j.icarus.2012.07.024
Abstract
► First Saturn’s lightning ground-based detection. ► A set of identification criteria was used to distinguish lightning from interference background. ► First detection of SED dispersion delay in decameter range.
We report the history of the first recorded ground-based radio detection of Saturn’s lightning using the Ukrainian UTR-2 radiotelescope at frequencies from 20 to 25MHz. The observations were performed between 29 January and 3 February 2006, during which lighting activity (E-storm) on Saturn was detected by the radio experiment onboard Cassini spacecraft. The minimum detectable flux density (1σ-level) at UTR-2 reached 40Jy (1Jy=10-26Wm-2Hz-1) for narrowband observations (Δf=10kHz) and 4Jy for broadband observations (Δf=1MHz), for an effective telescope area of ≈100,000m2 and integration time of 20ms. Selection criteria including comparison of simultaneous ON/OFF-source observations were applied to distinguish detection of lightning-associated radio pulses from interference. This allowed us to identify about 70 events with signal-to-noise ratio more than 5. Measured flux densities (between 50 and 700Jy) and burst durations (between 60 and 220ms) are in good agreement with extrapolation of previous Cassini measurements to a ground-based observer. This first detection demonstrates the possibility of Solar System planetary lightning studies using large, present and future ground-based radio instruments. The developed methods of observations and identification criteria are also implemented on the UTR-2 radio telescope for the investigation of the next Saturn’s storms. Together with recently published UTR-2 measurements of activity measured after the 2006 storm reported here, the results have significant implications for detectable planetary radio emission in our Solar System and beyond.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Earliest recorded ground-based decameter wavelength observations of Saturn’s lightning during the giant E-storm detected by Cassini spacecraft in early 2006
- Creators
- A.A. Konovalenko - Institute of Radio AstronomyN.N. Kalinichenko - Institute of Radio AstronomyH.O. Rucker - Space Research InstituteA. Lecacheux - Observatoire de ParisG. Fischer - Space Research InstituteP. Zarka - Laboratoire d’études spatiales et d’instrumentation en astrophysiqueV.V. Zakharenko - Institute of Radio AstronomyK.Y. Mylostna - Institute of Radio AstronomyJ.-M. Grießmeier - Université d'OrléansE.P. Abranin - Institute of Radio AstronomyI.S. Falkovich - Institute of Radio AstronomyK.M. Sidorchuk - Institute of Radio AstronomyW.S. Kurth - University of IowaM.L. Kaiser - Goddard Space Flight CenterD.A. Gurnett - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Icarus (New York, N.Y. 1962), Vol.224(1), pp.14-23
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.icarus.2012.07.024
- ISSN
- 0019-1035
- eISSN
- 1090-2643
- Publisher
- Elsevier Inc
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 05/2013
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9984455284602771
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