Solar wind dynamic pressure and electric field as the main factors controlling Saturn's aurorae

F. J Crary; J. T Clarke; W. S Kurth; D. G Mitchell; A. M Rymer; D. T Young; M. K Dougherty; P. G Hanlon; K. C Hansen; J. T Stelnberg; B. L Barraclough; A. J Coates; J.-C Gerard; D Grodent

doi:10.1038/nature03333

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Solar wind dynamic pressure and electric field as the main factors controlling Saturn's aurorae

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Solar wind dynamic pressure and electric field as the main factors controlling Saturn's aurorae

F. J Crary, J. T Clarke, W. S Kurth, D. G Mitchell, A. M Rymer, D. T Young, M. K Dougherty, P. G Hanlon, K. C Hansen, J. T Stelnberg, …

Nature (London), Vol.433(7027), pp.720-722

02/17/2005

DOI: 10.1038/nature03333

PMID: 15716946

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Abstract

The interaction of the solar wind with Earth's magnetosphere gives rise to the bright polar aurorae and to geomagnetic storms1, but the relation between the solar wind and the dynamics of the outer planets' magnetospheres is poorly understood. Jupiter's magnetospheric dynamics and aurorae are dominated by processes internal to the jovian system2, whereas Saturn's magnetosphere has generally been considered to have both internal and solar-wind-driven processes. This hypothesis, however, is tentative because of limited simultaneous solar wind and magnetospheric measurements. Here we report solar wind measurements, immediately upstream of Saturn, over a one-month period. When combined with simultaneous ultraviolet imaging3 we find that, unlike Jupiter, Saturn's aurorae respond strongly to solar wind conditions. But in contrast to Earth, the main controlling factor appears to be solar wind dynamic pressure and electric field, with the orientation of the interplanetary magnetic field playing a much more limited role. Saturn's magnetosphere is, therefore, strongly driven by the solar wind, but the solar wind conditions that drive it differ from those that drive the Earth's magnetosphere.

Astronomy

Earth, ocean, space

Exact sciences and technology

Ionospheres; magnetospheres

Planetary, asteroid, and satellite characteristics and properties

Planets, their satellites and rings. Asteroids

Saturn

Solar system

Details

Title: Subtitle: Solar wind dynamic pressure and electric field as the main factors controlling Saturn's aurorae
Creators: F. J Crary - Southwest Research Institute
J. T Clarke - Boston University
W. S Kurth - University of Iowa
D. G Mitchell - Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
A. M Rymer - University College London
D. T Young - Southwest Research Institute
M. K Dougherty - Imperial College London
P. G Hanlon - Imperial College London
K. C Hansen - University of Michigan–Ann Arbor
J. T Stelnberg - Los Alamos National Laboratory
B. L Barraclough - Los Alamos National Laboratory
A. J Coates - University College London
J.-C Gerard - University of Liège
D Grodent - University of Liège
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Nature (London), Vol.433(7027), pp.720-722
Publisher: Nature Publishing
DOI: 10.1038/nature03333
PMID: 15716946
ISSN: 0028-0836
eISSN: 1476-4687
Language: English
Date published: 02/17/2005
Academic Unit: Physics and Astronomy
Record Identifier: 9984455548802771

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