Survey of Saturn Z-mode emissionShow others and affiliations
2015 (English)In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 120, no 8, p. 6176-6187Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Because of the role of Z-mode emission in the diffusive scattering and resonant acceleration of electrons, we conduct a survey of intensity in the Saturn inner magnetosphere. Z mode is primarily observed as 5kHz narrowband emission in the lower density regions where the ratio of cyclotron to plasma frequency, f(c)/f(p)>1 to which we limit this study. This occurs at Saturn along the inner edge of the Enceladus torus near the equator and at higher latitudes. We present profiles and parametric fits of intensity as a function of frequency, radius, latitude, and local time. The magnetic field intensity levels are lower than chorus, but the electric field intensities are comparable. We conclude that Z-mode wave-particle interactions may make a significant contribution to electron acceleration in the inner magnetosphere of Saturn, supplementing acceleration produced by chorus emission.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2015. Vol. 120, no 8, p. 6176-6187
Keywords [en]
plasma waves and instabilities, wave, particle interactions, planetary magnetospheres, Z mode at Saturn
National Category
Fusion, Plasma and Space Physics
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-265934DOI: 10.1002/2015JA021426ISI: 000362125300010OAI: oai:DiVA.org:uu-265934DiVA, id: diva2:866959
Funder
NERC - the Natural Environment Research Council2015-11-042015-11-042017-12-01Bibliographically approved