ALBERT

Beschreibung: [1]  Jovian quasiperiodic (QP) radio bursts are suspected to be associated with relativistic particle accelerations occurring with a quasiperiodicity between a few minutes and a few tens of minutes in Jupiter's polar magnetosphere. Understanding the excitation and propagation of QP bursts could help us to better understand this periodic energization process. A first necessary step is to measure the wave mode, source location, and directivity of QP bursts. For that purpose, we performed a statistical analysis of goniopolarimetric measurements of QP bursts made with the Radio and Plasma Wave Science investigation (RPWS) onboard Cassini spacecraft during the Jupiter flyby of 2000–2001. We studied two groups of QP bursts on 22 and 23 December 2000, and we found consistent source directions about 50 R J north of Jupiter with an error bar ≤20 R J . Statistics of the Stokes parameters indicate that QP bursts are partially left-handed polarized ( V 〉 0, Q ,  U  〈 0). Together with the direction finding results, these polarization statistics imply that QP bursts observed from low latitudes are L-O mode waves which have been excited in the northern polar source, have propagated toward high latitudes, and then got refracted equatorward in the magnetosheath. Dependence of the Stokes parameters on the longitude indicates that QP bursts are excited within a particular phase range of the planetary rotation, when the system III longitude of the sub-solar point is between 260° and 480°. This implies that QP radio bursts and associated particle accelerations always occur within the same rotational sector, suggesting the existence of a recurrent magnetospheric disturbance at the planetary rotation period. Finally, we propose a possible scenario for the generation and propagation of QP bursts by combining the results of the present study with those of other recent observational and theoretical studies.

Beschreibung: Magnetic reconnection in planetary magnetospheres plays important roles in energy and mass transfer in the steady state, and also possibly in transient large-scale disturbances. In this paper we report observations of a reconnection event in the Jovian magnetotail by the Galileo spacecraft on 17 June 1997. In addition to the tailward retreat of a main X-line, signatures of recurrent X-line formations are found by close examination of energetic particle anisotropies. Furthermore, detailed analyses of multi-instrumental data for this period provide various spatiotemporal features in the plasma sheet. A significant density decrease was detected in the central plasma sheet, indicative of the transition to lobe (open field line) reconnection from plasma sheet (closed field line) reconnection. When Galileo vertically swept through the plasma sheet, a velocity layer structure was observed. We also analyze a strong southward magnetic field which is similar to dipolarization fronts observed in the terrestrial magnetotail: the ion flow (∼450 km s−1) was observed behind the magnetic front, whose thickness of 10000–20000 km was of the order of ion inertial length. The electron anisotropy in this period suggests an anomalously high-speed electron jet, implying ion-electron decoupling behind the magnetic front. Particle energization was also seen associated with these structures. These observations suggest that X-line evolution and consequent plasma sheet structures are similar to those in the terrestrial magnetosphere, whereas their generality in the Jovian magnetosphere and influence on the magnetospheric/ionospheric dynamics including transient auroral events need to be further investigated with more events.

Beschreibung: The Jovian polar magnetosphere has relativistic particle accelerations with quasi-periodicity (hereafter QP accelerations) that are accompanied by periodic auroral emissions and low-frequency radio bursts called quasi-periodic (QP) bursts. Some previous observations suggested a possible physical relationship between the QP accelerations and QP radio bursts. However, the cause of the QP accelerations has not been revealed yet. This study investigated the generation process of QP radio bursts that constrain the QP acceleration process. The statistical features of QP bursts' periodicity were investigated by applying Lomb-Scargle periodogram analysis to the variations of the QP bursts' spectral densities observed by the Galileo and Ulysses spacecraft. The Lomb-Scargle analysis revealed remarkable characteristics: QP bursts have statistically large amplitudes with periods of 30–50 min at all latitudes. This result suggests that 30–50 min is an “eigenfrequency” of the QP accelerations which is close to the 45 min periodicity of the pulsating X-ray hot spot in the polar cap region. In addition, it was also revealed that successive pulses sometimes exhibit periodicity transition. We discussed one possible scenario which links Jovian periodic accelerations to those in the terrestrial magnetosphere. The scenario is that particles are energized within the period of the dispersive Alfvén waves with field-aligned electric fields that obliquely propagate between the northern and southern ionospheres. The observed eigenfrequency and periodicity transition of QP bursts are consistent with the Alfvénic acceleration scenario.

Beschreibung: The Jovian polar magnetosphere has relativistic particle accelerations with quasiperiodicity (QP accelerations), which are accompanied by periodic auroral emissions and low-frequency radio bursts called QP bursts. Although there have been some observations, the generation process of QP bursts by relativistic electrons from QP accelerations has not been revealed yet. This paper presents calculated wave growth rates for the discussion of the QP radio burst generation processes based on wave generation theories. Linear growth rates were computed for free space mode waves and plasma waves in cold plasma dispersion relations, assuming that these waves are generated by relativistic electron beams in two kinds of polar source regions, as suggested by wave observations and by the ray-tracing results reported in our previous studies. One of the source regions is at high altitudes where emission frequency f is close to local right-handed extraordinary (RX) mode cutoff frequency fRX and the other is at low altitudes where f is close to local plasma frequency fp. We found that ordinary (O) mode free space waves are sufficiently amplified, with broad beaming at both of the sources in the duration of the relativistic electron populations when they have an unstable velocity distribution like a ring beam structure. This means that O mode free space waves can be generated directly from energetic electrons via the “cyclotron maser instability” (CMI) process. We also confirmed that extraordinary (X) mode free space waves are not sufficiently amplified at both of the sources in the beam duration but Z mode waves propagating along field lines from the sources toward the Jovian polar ionosphere are significantly excited. Z mode waves propagating toward the planet could be converted to free space O mode waves at a steep plasma density gradient via the “mode conversion” (MC) process. We conclude that both direct (CMI) and indirect (MC) process can generate O mode QP radio bursts with radiation characteristics consistent with those observed by spacecraft. This suggests that relativistic electrons with unstable velocity distributions are generated by the QP acceleration and that Z mode and O mode QP radio bursts are excited by these particles.

Beschreibung: We present Cassini Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer observations of infrared auroral emissions from the noon sector of Saturn's ionosphere revealing multiple intense auroral arcs separated by dark regions poleward of the main oval. The arcs are interpreted as the ionospheric signatures of bursts of reconnection occurring at the dayside magnetopause. The auroral arcs were associated with upward field-aligned currents, the magnetic signatures of which were detected by Cassini at high planetary latitudes. Magnetic field and particle observations in the adjacent downward current regions showed upward bursts of 100–360 keV light ions in addition to energetic (hundreds of keV) electrons, which may have been scattered from upward accelerated beams carrying the downward currents. Broadband, upward propagating whistler waves were detected simultaneously with the ion beams. The acceleration of the light ions from low altitudes is attributed to wave-particle interactions in the downward current regions. Energetic (600 keV) oxygen ions were also detected, suggesting the presence of ambient oxygen at altitudes within the acceleration region. These simultaneous in situ and remote observations reveal the highly energetic magnetospheric dynamics driving some of Saturn's unusual auroral features. This is the first in situ identification of transient reconnection events at regions magnetically conjugate to Saturn's magnetopause.

Beschreibung: Jovian quasiperiodic (QP) radio bursts are suspected to be associated with relativistic particle accelerations occurring with a quasiperiodicity between a few minutes and a few tens of minutes in Jupiter's polar magnetosphere. Understanding the excitation and propagation of QP bursts could help us to better understand this periodic energization process. A first necessary step is to measure the wave mode, source location, and directivity of QP bursts. For that purpose, we performed a statistical analysis of goniopolarimetric measurements of QP bursts made with the Radio and Plasma Wave Science investigation (RPWS) onboard Cassini spacecraft during the Jupiter flyby of 2000–2001. We studied two groups of QP bursts on 22 and 23 December 2000, and we found consistent source directions about 50 RJ north of Jupiter with an error bar ≤20 RJ. Statistics of the Stokes parameters indicate that QP bursts are partially left-handed polarized (V 〉 0, Q, U 

Beschreibung: [1]  Saturn's auroral activities have been suggested to be controlled by the seasonal variations of the polar ionospheric conductivities and atmospheric conditions associated with the solar extreme ultraviolet (EUV) flux. However, they have not yet been explained self-consistently by only the seasonal solar EUV effects. This study investigates the long-term variations of Saturnian Kilometric Radiation (SKR) as a proxy of the auroral activities, which were observed by Cassini's Radio and Plasma Wave Science experiment mostly during the southern summer (DOY 001, 2004 to DOY 193, 2010). We deduced the height distribution of the SKR source region in the northern (winter) and southern (summer) hemispheres from the remote sensing of SKR spectra. The peak spectral density of the southern (summer) SKR was found to be up to 100 times greater than that of the northern (winter) SKR, and the altitude of the peak flux was similar (~0.8R s ) in the northern and southern hemispheres. The spectral densities in both hemispheres became comparable with each other around equinox in August 2009. These results suggest a stronger SKR source region during the summer than the winter related to the seasonal EUV effect, which is opposite to the trend observed in the Earth's kilometric radiation. A long-term correlation analysis was performed for the SKR, solar EUV flux, and solar wind parameters extrapolated from Earth's orbit by an MHD simulation focusing on variations on timescales longer than several weeks. We confirmed clear positive correlations between the solar wind dynamic pressure and peak flux density in both the southern and northern hemispheres during the declining phase of the solar cycle. We conclude that the solar wind variations on the timescale of the solar cycle control the SKR source region. In addition, it was also confirmed that the south-to-north ratios of SKR power flux and source altitudes are positively correlated with the solar EUV flux. This result strongly supports a seasonal EUV effect on the SKR source region. The variations of SKR activity over both seasonal and solar cycles are discussed in comparison to the terrestrial case.

Beschreibung: Planetary auroral emissions reveal the configuration of magnetospheric field-aligned current systems. In this study, Cassini Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) observations of Saturn's pre-equinox infrared H3+ aurorae were analysed to show (a) rotational modulation of the auroral intensity in both hemispheres and (b) a significant local time dependence of the emitted intensity. The emission intensity is modulated by the ‘planetary period’ rotation of auroral current systems in each hemisphere. The northern auroral intensity also displays a lesser anti-phase dependence on the southern rotating current system, indicating that part of the southern current system closes in the northern hemisphere. The southern hemisphere aurorae were most intense in the post-dawn sector, in agreement with some past measurements of auroral field-aligned currents, UV aurora and SKR emitted power. A corresponding investigation of the northern hemisphere auroral intensity reveals a broader dawn-noon enhancement, possibly due to the interaction of the southern rotating current system with that of the north. The auroral intensity was reduced around dusk and post-midnight in both hemispheres. These observations can be explained by the interaction of a rotating field-aligned current system in each hemisphere with one fixed in local time, which is related to the solar wind interaction with magnetospheric field lines.

Beschreibung: [1]  Magnetic reconnection plays important roles in mass transport and energy conversion in planetary magnetospheres. It is considered that transient reconnection causes localized auroral arcs or spots in the Jovian magnetosphere, by analogy to the case in the Earth's magnetosphere. However, the local structures of transient reconnection events (i.e., magnetospheric plasma parameters) and their spatial distribution have not been extensively investigated for the Jovian magnetosphere. Here we examine plasma velocity and density during strong north-south magnetic field events in the Jovian nightside magnetosphere, which may be associated with tail reconnection. We find prominent reconnection jet fronts predominantly on the dawnside of the nightside magnetosphere, which would be a signature unique to rotation-dominant planetary magnetospheres. The observed plasma structures are consistent with significant field-aligned currents which would generate localized aurora.