Saturn's quasiperiodic magnetohydrodynamic waves
File(s)Yates_et_al-2016-Geophysical_Research_Letters.pdf (2.79 MB)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Quasi-periodic ∼1-hour 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 Alfvénic, with small amplitudes (∼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 Alfvén waves standing between the northern and southern ionospheres in Saturn’s outer magnetosphere
Date Issued
2016-10-15
Date Acceptance
2016-10-10
Citation
Geophysical Research Letters, 2016, 43 (21), pp.102-111
ISSN
1944-8007
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
Start Page
102
End Page
111
Journal / Book Title
Geophysical Research Letters
Volume
43
Issue
21
Copyright Statement
© 2016 The Authors. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Sponsor
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
The Royal Society
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Science and Technology Facilities Council
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Grant Number
ST/K001051/1
ST/M003094/1
RP140004
ST/N000692/1
ST/N002776/1
ST/N003748/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Geology
FIELD-ALIGNED CURRENTS
HYDROMAGNETIC-WAVES
ULF WAVES
MAGNETOSPHERE
PULSATIONS
RADIO
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
MD Multidisciplinary
Publication Status
Published