Journal article
Low frequency extensions of the saturn kilometric radiation as a proxy for magnetospheric dynamics
Journal of geophysical research. Space physics, Vol.123(1), pp.443-463
01/2018
DOI: 10.1002/2017JA024499
Abstract
Saturn Kilometric Radiation (SKR) is an auroral radio emission which can
be detected quasi-continuously by the Cassini spacecraft. It has been shown
to respond to magnetotail reconnection and to changes in solar wind conditions,
and thus oers the potential to be used as a remote proxy for magnetospheric
dynamics. This work has developed criteria for the selection of
low frequency extensions (LFE), powerful intensications of the main SKR
emission, accompanied by an expansion of the SKR to lower frequencies. Upon
examination of data from the Cassini Radio and Plasma Wave Science (RPWS)
instrument, we detect 282 LFE events which are further grouped into two
categories. Shorter events (< 20 hours) associated with tail reconnection have
a median waiting time of 10 hours, a median duration of 3.1 hours and a
strong correlation with the northern and southern SKR phase systems. 60%
of the short LFEs have a reconnection event within the preceding 6 hours.
Longer events (> 20 hours), associated with increases in solar wind dynamic
pressure, can last multiple planetary rotations, have a median waiting time
of 20 days and show no relationship with SKR phase. An analysis of the
power emitted during LFEs suggests that tail reconnection is not always observed
or detected in situ which may partially explain the low correlation
between LFEs and tail reconnection. We conclude that short LFEs are a good
proxy for reconnection in the tail.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Low frequency extensions of the saturn kilometric radiation as a proxy for magnetospheric dynamics
- Creators
- Joe Reed - University of SouthamptonCaitriona Jackman - University of SouthamptonLaurent Lamy - Observatoire de ParisDaniel Whiter - University of SouthamptonW. S. Kurth - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of geophysical research. Space physics, Vol.123(1), pp.443-463
- DOI
- 10.1002/2017JA024499
- ISSN
- 2169-9380
- eISSN
- 2169-9402
- Grant note
- DOI: 10.13039/100000104, name: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, award: 1415150; DOI: 10.13039/501100000305, name: National Eye Research Centre, award: NE/N004051/1
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 01/2018
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9984455659302771
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