Journal article
Whistler‐mode auroral hiss emissions observed near Saturn's B ring
Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol.111(A6), pp.A06214-n/a
06/2006
DOI: 10.1029/2005JA011432
Abstract
An unusual whistler‐mode emission, similar to terrestrial auroral hiss, was observed by the radio and plasma wave instrument on the Cassini spacecraft during the 1 July 2004 pass over the rings of Saturn. By using an electron density model that is consistent with measurements of the local electron plasma frequency, ray‐tracing calculations have been performed to determine the source of the emission. The calculations assume that the emission is propagating near the whistler‐mode resonance cone. It is found that the best fit to the V‐shaped lower cutoff of the emission is obtained if the source is located very close to the B ring at a distance of about 1.76 RS from the center of Saturn. On the basis of the close similarity to terrestrial auroral hiss we suggest that the emission is produced by a magnetic field‐aligned beam of electrons that is directed outward away from the ring. The electron beam is most likely accelerated by parallel electric fields that arise as part of a current system induced by the interaction of the ring with the corotating magnetosphere of Saturn.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Whistler‐mode auroral hiss emissions observed near Saturn's B ring
- Creators
- L. Xin - University of IowaD. A. Gurnett - University of IowaO. Santolík - University of IowaW. S. Kurth - University of IowaG. B. Hospodarsky - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol.111(A6), pp.A06214-n/a
- DOI
- 10.1029/2005JA011432
- ISSN
- 0148-0227
- eISSN
- 2156-2202
- Number of pages
- 6
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 06/2006
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9984455555602771
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