Voyager 2 plasma wave observations at saturn

The first inbound Voyager 2 crossing of Saturn's bow shock [at 31.7 Saturn radii (RS), near local noon] and the last outbound crossing (at 87.4 RS, near local dawn) had similar plasma wave signatures. However, many other aspects of the plasma wave measurements differed considerably during the inbound and outbound passes, suggesting the presence of effects associated with significant north-south or noon-dawn asymmetries, or temporal variations. Within Saturn's magnetosphere, the plasma wave instrument detected electron plasma oscillations, upper hybrid resonance emissions, half-gyrofrequency harmonics, hiss and chorus, narrowband electromagnetic emissions and broadband Saturn radio noise, and noise bursts with characteristics of static. At the ring plane crossing, the plasma wave instrument also detected a large number of intense impulses that we interpret in terms of ring particle impacts on Voyager 2.     

First plasma wave observations at neptune

The Voyager 2 plasma wave instrument detected many familiar plasma waves during the encounter with Neptune, including electron plasma oscillations in the solar wind upstream of the bow shock, electrostatic turbulence at the bow shock, and chorus, hiss, electron cyclotron waves, and upper hybrid resonance waves in the inner magnetosphere. Low-frequency radio emissions, believed to be generated by mode conversion from the upper hybrid resonance emissions, were also observed propagating outward in a disklike beam along the magnetic equatorial plane. At the two ring plane crossings many small micrometer-sized dust particles were detected striking the spacecraft. The maximum impact rates were about 280 impacts per second at the inbound ring plane crossing, and about 110 impacts per second at the outbound ring plane crossing. Most of the particles are concentrated in a dense disk, about 1000 kilometers thick, centered on the equatorial plane. However, a broader, more tenuous distribution also extends many tens of thousands of kilometers from the equatorial plane, including over the northern polar region.     

Plasma wave observations near jupiter: initial results from voyager 2

This report provides an initial survey of results from the plasma wave instrument on the Voyager 2 spacecraft, which flew by Jupiter on 9 July 1979. Measurements made during the approach to the planet show that low-frequency radio emissions from Jupiter have a strong latitudinal dependence, with a sharply defined shadow zone near the equatorial plane. At the magnetopause a new type of broadband electric field turbulence was detected, and strong electrostatic emissions near the upper hybrid resonance frequency were discovered near the low-frequency cutoff of the continuum radiation. Strong whistler-mode turbulence was again detected in the inner magnetosphere, although in this case extending out to substantially larger radial distances than for Voyager 1. In the predawn tail region, continuum radiation was observed extending down to extremely low frequencies, approximately 30 hertz, an indication that the spacecraft was entering a region of very low density, approximately 1.0 x 10(-5) per cubic centimeter, possibly similar to the lobes of Earth's magnetotail.     

Radio and plasma wave observations at Saturn from Cassini's approach and first orbit

We report data from the Cassini radio and plasma wave instrument during the approach and first orbit at Saturn. During the approach, radio emissions from Saturn showed that the radio rotation period is now 10 hours 45 minutes 45 +/- 36 seconds, about 6 minutes longer than measured by Voyager in 1980 to 1981. In addition, many intense impulsive radio signals were detected from Saturn lightning during the approach and first orbit. Some of these have been linked to storm systems observed by the Cassini imaging instrument. Within the magnetosphere, whistler-mode auroral hiss emissions were observed near the rings, suggesting that a strong electrodynamic interaction is occurring in or near the rings.     

Magnetic fields at uranus

The magnetic field experiment on the Voyager 2 spacecraft revealed a strong planetary magnetic field of Uranus and an associated magnetosphere and fully developed bipolar masnetic tail. The detached bow shock wave in the solar wind supersonic flow was observed upstream at 23.7 Uranus radii (1 R(U) = 25,600 km) and the magnetopause boundary at 18.0 R(U), near the planet-sun line. A miaximum magnetic field of 413 nanotesla was observed at 4.19 R(U ), just before closest approach. Initial analyses reveal that the planetary magnetic field is well represented by that of a dipole offset from the center of the planet by 0.3 R(U). The angle between Uranus' angular momentum vector and the dipole moment vector has the surprisingly large value of 60 degrees. Thus, in an astrophysical context, the field of Uranus may be described as that of an oblique rotator. The dipole moment of 0.23 gauss R(3)(U), combined with the large spatial offset, leads to minimum and maximum magnetic fields on the surface of the planet of approximately 0.1 and 1.1 gauss, respectively. The rotation period of the magnetic field and hence that of the interior of the planet is estimated to be 17.29+/- 0.10 hours; the magnetotail rotates about the planet-sun line with the same period. Thelarge offset and tilt lead to auroral zones far from the planetary rotation axis poles. The rings and the moons are embedded deep within the magnetosphere, and, because of the large dipole tilt, they will have a profound and diurnally varying influence as absorbers of the trapped radiation belt particles.     

Jupiter plasma wave observations: an initial voyager 1 overview

The Voyager I plasma wave instrument detected low-frequency radio emissions, ion acoustic waves, and electron plasma oscillations for a period of months before encountering Jupiter's bow shock. In the outer magnetosphere, measurements of trapped radio waves were used to derive an electron density profile. Near and within the Io plasma torus the instrument detected high-frequency electrostatic waves, strong whistler mode turbulence, and discrete whistlers, apparently associated with lightning. Some strong emissions in the tail region and some impulsive signals have not yet been positively identified.     

Planetary radio astronomy observations from voyager 2 near saturn

Planetary radio astronomy measurements obtained by Voyager 2 near Saturn have added further evidence that Saturnian kilometric radiation is emitted by a strong dayside source at auroral latitudes in the northern hemisphere and by a weaker source at complementary latitudes in the southern hemisphere. These emissions are variable because of Saturn's rotation and, on longer time scales, probably because of influences of the solar wind and Dione. The electrostatic discharge bursts first discovered by Voyager 1 and attributed to emissions from the B ring were again observed with the same broadband spectral properties and an episodic recurrence period of about 10 hours, but their occurrence frequency was only about 30 percent of that detected by Voyager 1. While crossing the ring plane at a distance of 2.88 Saturn radii, the spacecraft detected an intense noise event extending to above 1 megahertz and lasting about 150 seconds. The event is interpreted to be a consequence of the impact, vaporization, and ionization of charged, micrometer-size G ring particles distributed over a vertical thickness of about 1500 kilometers.     

Plasma wave observations at comet giacobini-zinner

The plasma wave instrument on the International Cometary Explorer (ICE) detected bursts of strong ion acoustic waves almost continuously when the spacecraft was within 2 million kilometers of the nucleus of comet Giacobini-Zinner. Electromagnetic whistlers and low-level electron plasma oscillations were also observed in this vast region that appears to be associated with heavy ion pickup. As ICE came closer to the anticipated location of the bow shock, the electromagnetic and electrostatic wave levels increased significantly, but even in the midst of this turbulence the wave instrument detected structures with familiar bow shock characteristics that were well correlated with observations of localized electron heating phenomena. Just beyond the visible coma, broadband waves with amplitudes as high as any ever detected by the ICE plasma wave instrument were recorded. These waves may account for the significant electron heating observed in this region by the ICE plasma probe, and these observations of strong wave-particle interactions may provide answers to longstanding questions concerning ionization processes in the vicinity of the coma. Near closest approach, the plasma wave instrument detected broadband electrostatic noise and a changing pattern of weak electron plasma oscillations that yielded a density profile for the outer layers of the cold plasma tail. Near the tail axis the plasma wave instrument also detected a nonuniform flux of dust impacts, and a preliminary profile of the Giacobini-Zinner dust distribution for micrometer-sized particles is presented.     

Electron plasma oscillations upstream of the solar wind termination shock

Electron plasma oscillations have been detected upstream of the solar wind termination shock by the plasma wave instrument on the Voyager 1 spacecraft. These waves were first observed on 11 February 2004, at a heliocentric radial distance of 91.0 astronomical units, and continued sporadically with a gradually increasing occurrence rate for nearly a year. The last event occurred on 15 December 2004, at 94.1 astronomical units, just before the spacecraft crossed the termination shock. Since then, no further electron plasma oscillations have been observed, consistent with the spacecraft having crossed the termination shock into the heliosheath.     

Plasma waves near saturn: initial results from voyager 1

The Voyager 1 plasma wave instrument detected many familiar types of plasma waves during the encounter with Saturn, including ion-acoustic waves and electron plasma oscillations upstream of the bow shock, an intense burst of electrostatic noise at the shock, and chorus, hiss, electrostatic electron cyclotron waves, and upper hybrid resonance emissions in the inner magnetosphere. A clocklike Saturn rotational control of low-frequency radio emissions was observed, and evidence was obtained of possible control by the moon Dione. Strong plasma wave emissions were detected at the Titan encounter indicating the presence of a turbulent sheath extending around Titan, and upper hybrid resonance measurements of the electron density show the existence of a dense plume of plasma being carried downstream of Titan by the interaction with the rapidly rotating magnetosphere of Saturn.     

Plasma observations near jupiter: initial results from voyager 1

Extensive measurements of low-energy positive ions and electrons were made throughout the Jupiter encounter of Voyager 1. The bow shock and magneto-pause were crossed several times at distances consistent with variations in the upstream solar wind pressure measured on Voyager 2. During the inbound pass, the number density increased by six orders of magnitude between the innermost magnetopause crossing at approximately 47 Jupiter radii and near closest approach at approximately 5 Jupiter radii; the plasma flow during this period was predominately in the direction of corotation. Marked increases in number density were observed twice per planetary rotation, near the magnetic equator. Jupiterward of the Io plasma torus, a cold, corotating plasma was observed and the energylcharge spectra show well-resolved, heavy-ion peaks at mass-to-charge ratios A/Z* = 8, 16, 32, and 64.     

Magnetic fields at neptune

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Goddard Space Flight Center-University of Delaware Bartol Research Institute magnetic field experiment on the Voyager 2 spacecraft discovered a strong and complex intrinsic magnetic field of Neptune and an associated magnetosphere and magnetic tail. The detached bow shock wave in the supersonic solar wind flow was detected upstream at 34.9 Neptune radii (R(N)), and the magnetopause boundary was tentatively identified at 26.5 R(N) near the planet-sun line (1 R(N) = 24,765 kilometers). A maximum magnetic field of nearly 10,000 nanoteslas (1 nanotesla = 10(-5) gauss) was observed near closest approach, at a distance of 1.18 R(N). The planetary magnetic field between 4 and 15 R(N) can be well represented by an offset tilted magnetic dipole (OTD), displaced from the center of Neptune by the surprisingly large amount of 0.55 R(N) and inclined by 47 degrees with respect to the rotation axis. The OTD dipole moment is 0.133 gauss-R(N)(3). Within 4 R(N), the magnetic field representation must include localized sources or higher order magnetic multipoles, or both, which are not yet well determined. The obliquity of Neptune and the phase of its rotation at encounter combined serendipitously so that the spacecraft entered the magnetosphere at a time when the polar cusp region was directed almost precisely sunward. As the spacecraft exited the magnetosphere, the magnetic tail appeared to be monopolar, and no crossings of an imbedded magnetic field reversal or plasma neutral sheet were observed. The auroral zones are most likely located far from the rotation poles and may have a complicated geometry. The rings and all the known moons of Neptune are imbedded deep inside the magnetosphere, except for Nereid, which is outside when sunward of the planet. The radiation belts will have a complex structure owing to the absorption of energetic particles by the moons and rings of Neptune and losses associated with the significant changes in the diurnally varying magnetosphere configuration. In an astrophysical context, the magnetic field of Neptune, like that of Uranus, may be described as that of an "oblique" rotator.     

Plasma observations near jupiter: initial results from voyager 2

The first of at least nine bow shock crossings observed on the inbound pass of Voyager 2 occurred at 98.8 Jupiter radii (R(J)) with final entry into the magnetosphere at 62 R(J). On both the inbound and outbound passes the plasma showed a tendency to move in the direction of corotation, as was observed on the inbound pass of Voyager 1. Positive ion densities and electron intensities observed by Voyager 2 are comparable within a factor of 2 to those seen by Voyager 1 at the same radial distance from Jupiter; the composition of the magnetospheric plasma is again dominated by heavy ions with a ratio of mass density relative to hydrogen of about 100/1. A series of dropouts of plasma intensity near Ganymede may be related to a complex interaction between Ganymede and the magnetospheric plasma. From the planetary spin modulation of the intensity of plasma electrons it is inferred that the plasma sheet is centered at the dipole magnetic equator out to a distance of 40 to 50 R(J) and deviates from it toward the rotational equator at larger distances. The longitudinal excursion of the plasma sheet lags behind the rotating dipole by a phase angle that increases with increasing radial distance.     

Voyager planetary radio astronomy at neptune

Detection of very intense short radio bursts from Neptune was possible as early as 30 days before closest approach and at least 22 days after closest approach. The bursts lay at frequencies in the range 100 to 1300 kilohertz, were narrowband and strongly polarized, and presumably originated in southern polar regions ofthe planet. Episodes of smooth emissions in the frequency range from 20 to 865 kilohertz were detected during an interval of at least 10 days around closest approach. The bursts and the smooth emissions can be described in terms of rotation in a period of 16.11 +/- 0.05 hours. The bursts came at regular intervals throughout the encounter, including episodes both before and after closest approach. The smooth emissions showed a half-cycle phase shift between the five episodes before and after closest approach. This experiment detected the foreshock of Neptune's magnetosphere and the impacts of dust at the times of ring-plane crossings and also near the time of closest approach. Finally, there is no evidence for Neptunian electrostatic discharges.     

Low-Energy Hot Plasma and Particles in Saturn's Magnetosphere

The low-energy charged particle instrument on Voyager 2 measured low-energy electrons and ions (energies greater, similar 22 and greater, similar 28 kiloelectron volts, respectively) in Saturn's magnetosphere. The magnetosphere structure and particle population were modified from those observed during the Voyager 1 encounter in November 1980 but in a manner consistent with the same global morphology. Major results include the following. (i) A region containing an extremely hot ( approximately 30 to 50 kiloelectron volts) plasma was identified and extends from the orbit of Tethys outward past the orbit of Rhea. (ii) The low-energy ion mantle found by Voyager 1 to extend approximately 7 Saturn radii inside the dayside magnetosphere was again observed on Voyager 2, but it was considerably hotter ( approximately 30 kiloelectron volts), and there was an indication of a cooler ( < 20 kiloelectron volts) ion mantle on the nightside. (iii) At energies greater, similar 200 kiloelectron volts per nucleon, H(1), H(2), and H(3) (molecular hydrogen), helium, carbon, and oxygen are important constituents in the Saturnian magnetosphere. The presence of both H(2) and H(3) suggests that the Saturnian ionosphere feeds plasma into the magnetosphere, but relative abundances of the energetic helium, carbon, and oxygen ions are consistent with a solar wind origin. (iv) Low-energy ( approximately 22 to approximately 60 kiloelectron volts) electron flux enhancements observed between the L shells of Rhea and Tethys by Voyager 2 on the dayside were absent during the Voyager 1 encounter. (v) Persistent asymmetric pitch-angle distributions of electrons of 60 to 200 kiloelectron volts occur in the outer magnetosphere in conjunction with the hot ion plasma torus. (vi) The spacecraft passed within approximately 1.1 degrees in longitude of the Tethys flux tube outbound and observed it to be empty of energetic ions and electrons; the microsignature of Enceladus inbound was also observed. (vii) There are large fluxes of electrons of approximately 1.5 million electron volts and smaller fluxes of electrons of approximately 10 million electron volts and of protons greater, similar 54 million electron volts inside the orbits of Enceladus and Mimas; all were sharply peaked perpendicular to the local magnetic field. (viii) In general, observed satellite absorption signatures were not located at positions predicted on the basis of dipole magnetic field models.     

Remote sensing of the magnetic moment of uranus: predictions for voyager

Power is supplied to a planet's magnetosphere from the kinetic energy of planetary spin and the energy flux of the impinging solar wind. A fraction of this power is available to drive numerous observable phenomena, such as polar auroras and planetary radio emissions. In this report our present understanding of these power transfer mechanisms is applied to Uranus to make specific predictions of the detectability of radio and auroral emissions by the planetary radio astronomy (PRA) and ultraviolet spectrometer (UVS) instruments aboard the Voyager spacecraft before its encounter with Uranus at the end of January 1986. The power available for these two phenomena is (among other factors) a function of the magnetic moment of Uranus. The date of earliest detectability also depends on whether the predominant power source for the magnetosphere is planetary spin or solar wind. The magnetic moment of Uranus is derived for each power source as a function of the date of first detection of radio emissions by the PRA instrument or auroral emissions by the UVS instrument. If we accept the interpretation of ultraviolet observations now available from the Earth-orbiting International Ultraviolet Explorer satellite, Uranus has a surface magnetic field of at least 0.6 gauss, and more probably several gauss, making it the largest or second-largest planetary magnetic field in the solar system.     

Energetic charged particles in the uranian magnetosphere

During the encounter with Uranus, the cosmic ray system on Voyager 2 measured significant fluxes of energetic electrons and protons in the regions of the planets magnetosphere where these particles could be stably trapped. The radial distribution of electrons with energies of megaelectron volts is strongly modulated by the sweeping effects ofthe three major inner satellites Miranda, Ariel, and Umbriel. The phase space density gradient of these electrons indicates that they are diffusing radially inward from a source in the outer magnetosphere or magnetotail. Differences in the energy spectra of protons having energies of approximately 1 to 8 megaelectron volts from two different directions indicate a strong dependence on pitch angle. From the locations of the absorption signatures observed in the electron flux, a centered dipole model for the magnetic field of Uranus with a tilt of 60.1 degrees has been derived, and a rotation period of the planet of 17.4 hours has also been calculated. This model provides independent confirmaton of more precise determinations made by other Voyager experiments.     

Voyager 2: energetic ions and electrons in the jovian magnetosphere

The Voyager 2 encounter has enhanced our understanding of earlier results and provided measurements beyond 160 Jupiter radii (R(J)) in the magnetotail. Significant fluxes of energetic sulfur and oxygen nuclei (4 to 15 million electron volts per nucleon) of Jovian origin were observed inside 25 R(J), and the gradient in phase space density at 12 R(J) indicates that the ions are diffusing inward. A substantially longer time delay versus distance was found for proton flux maxima in the active hemisphere in the magnetotail at Jovicentric longitudes lambda(III), = 260 degrees to 320 degrees than in the inactive hemisphere at lambda(III), = 85 degrees to l10 degrees . These delays can be related to the radial motion of plasma expanding into the magnetotail, and differences in the expansion speeds between the active and inactive hemispheres can produce rarefaction regions in trapped particles. It is suggested that the 10-hour modulation of interplanetary Jovian electrons may be associated with the arrival at the dawn magnetopause of a rarefaction region each planetary rotation.     

The magnetosphere of uranus: hot plasma and radiation environment

The low-energy charged-particle (LECP) instrument on Voyager 2 measured lowenergy electrons and ions near and within the magnetosphere of Uranus. Initial analysis of the LECP measurements has revealed the following. (i) The magnetospheric particle population consists principally of protons and electrons having energies to at least 4 and 1.2 megaelectron volts, respectively, with electron intensities substantially excceding proton intensities at a given energy. (ii) The intensity profile for both particle species shows evidence that the particles were swept by planetry satellites out to at least the orbit of Titania. (iii) The ion and electron spectra may be described by a Maxwellian core at low energies (less than about 200 kiloelectron volts) and a power law at high energies (greater than about 590 kiloelectron volts; exponentmicro, 3 to 10) except inside the orbit of Miranda, where power-law spectra (micro approximately 1.1 and 3.1 for electrons and protons, respectively) are observed. (iv) At ion energies between 0.6 and 1 megaelectron volt per nucleon, the composition is dominated by protons with a minor fraction (about 10(-3)) of molecular hydrogen; the lower limit for the ratio of hydrogen to helium is greater than 10(4). (v) The proton population is sufficiently intense that fluences greater than 10(16) per square centimeter can accumulate in 10(4) to 10(') years; such fluences are sufficient to polymerize carbon monoxide and methane ice surfaces. The overall morphology of Uranus' magnetosphere resembles that of Jupiter, as evidenced by the fact that the spacecraft crossed the plasma sheet through the dawn magnetosheath twice per planetary rotation period (17.3 hours). Uranus' magnetosphere differs from that of Jupiter and of Saturn in that the plasma 1 is at most 0.1 rather than 1. Therefore, little distortion ofthe field is expected from particle loading at distances less than about 15 Uranus radii.     

Planetary radio astronomy observations from voyager 2 near jupiter

The Voyager 2 Planetary Radio Astronomy experiment to Jupiter has confirmed and extended to higher zenomagnetic latitudes results from the identical experiment carried by Voyager 1. The kilometric emissions discovered by Voyager 1 often extended to 1 megahertz or higher on Voyager 2 and often consisted of negatively or, less frequently, positively drifting narrowband bursts. On the basis of tentative identification of plasma wave emissions similar to those detected by Voyager 1, the plasma torus associated with Io appeared somewhat denser to Voyager 2 than it did to Voyager 1. We report here on quasiperiodic sinusoidal or impulsive bursts in the broadcast band range of wavelengths (800 to 1800 kilohertz). A Faraday effect appears at decametric frequencies, which probably results from propagation of the radiation near its sources on Jupiter. Finally, we discuss the occurrence of decametric emission in homologous arc families.