Publication Date:
2019-03-01
Description:
Radial transport is an important dynamical process in Saturn's internally driven magnetosphere. Radial transport is presumed to occur by a centrifugally driven interchange instability, determined by the gradient of flux tube content and flux tube entropy. Plasma produced in the inner magnetosphere must be transported radially outward. The outward motion of the plasma stretches the magnetic field lines, leading to magnetic reconnection. Reconnection allows the mass to be transported radially while allowing the flux to circulate back to the inner magnetosphere. Both radial transport of mass and magnetic flux in Saturn's magnetosphere have been estimated based on Cassani Plasma Spectrometer data provided by Wilson et al. (2017, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JA024117) and suggesting the radial transport rate of plasma of around 55 kg/s. The net magnetic flux transport should be 0, but the data suggest a net outward magnetic flux transport indicating the existence of different possible transport mechanisms in Saturn's magnetodisc.
Print ISSN:
2169-9380
Electronic ISSN:
2169-9402
Topics:
Geosciences
,
Physics
Permalink