Saturn's quasiperiodic magnetohydrodynamic waves

J. N. Yates; D. J. Southwood; M. K. Dougherty; A. H. Sulaiman; A. Masters; S. W. H. Cowley; M. G. Kivelson; C. H. K. Chen; G. Provan; D. G. Mitchell; G. B. Hospodarsky; N. Achilleos; A. M. Sorba; A. J. Coates

doi:10.1002/2016GL071069

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Saturn's quasiperiodic magnetohydrodynamic waves

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Saturn's quasiperiodic magnetohydrodynamic waves

J. N. Yates, D. J. Southwood, M. K. Dougherty, A. H. Sulaiman, A. Masters, S. W. H. Cowley, M. G. Kivelson, C. H. K. Chen, G. Provan, D. G. Mitchell, …

Geophysical research letters, Vol.43(21), pp.11102-11111

11/16/2016

DOI: 10.1002/2016GL071069

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Abstract

Quasiperiodic similar to 1 h fluctuations have been recently reported by numerous instruments on board the Cassini spacecraft. The interpretation of the sources of these fluctuations has remained elusive to date. Here we provide an explanation for the origin of these fluctuations using magnetometer observations. We find that magnetic field fluctuations at high northern latitudes are Alfvenic, with small amplitudes (similar to 0.4 nT), and are concentrated in wave packets similar to those observed in Kleindienst et al. (2009). The wave packets recur periodically at the northern magnetic oscillation period. We use a magnetospheric box model to provide an interpretation of the wave periods. Our model results suggest that the observed magnetic fluctuations are second harmonic Alfven waves standing between the northern and southern ionospheres in Saturn's outer magnetosphere.

Geology

Geosciences, Multidisciplinary

Physical Sciences

Science & Technology

Details

Title: Subtitle: Saturn's quasiperiodic magnetohydrodynamic waves
Creators: J. N. Yates - Imperial College London
D. J. Southwood - Imperial College London
M. K. Dougherty - Imperial College London
A. H. Sulaiman - University of Iowa
A. Masters - Imperial College London
S. W. H. Cowley - University of Leicester
M. G. Kivelson - University of Michigan
C. H. K. Chen - Imperial College London
G. Provan - University of Leicester
D. G. Mitchell - Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
G. B. Hospodarsky - University of Iowa
N. Achilleos - University College London
A. M. Sorba - University College London
A. J. Coates - University College London
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Geophysical research letters, Vol.43(21), pp.11102-11111
DOI: 10.1002/2016GL071069
ISSN: 0094-8276
eISSN: 1944-8007
Publisher: Amer Geophysical Union
Number of pages: 10
Grant note: International Space Sciences Institute (ISSI) international team on "Coordinated Numerical Modeling of the Global Jovian and Saturnian Systems" Royal Society ST/K001051/1 / STFC's Imperial College Astrophysics & Space Physics Consolidated Grant ST/K001000/1; ST/K001051/1; ST/N000722/1; ST/N003748/1; ST/N000692/1; ST/N000749/1; ST/K000977/1 / STFC; UK Research & Innovation (UKRI); Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Jet Propulsion Laboratory ST/N000692/1; ST/K001000/1; ST/N003748/1; ST/N000749/1; ST/K001051/1; ST/K000977/1; ST/N000722/1 / Science and Technology Facilities Council; UK Research & Innovation (UKRI); Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC) ST/N000722/1 / UK STFC; UK Research & Innovation (UKRI); Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC) STFC; UK Research & Innovation (UKRI); Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC) NAS5-97271 / NASA Office of Space Science; National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) ST/M003094/1 / UK Space Agency Imperial College 1415150 / NASA; National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) ST/N000749/1; ST/N50449X/1 / STFC; UK Research & Innovation (UKRI); Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Language: English
Date published: 11/16/2016
Academic Unit: Physics and Astronomy
Record Identifier: 9984455549302771

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