The Saturnian Auroral Hiss - A Multi-Instrument Study
A.J. Kopf, D.A. Gurnett, G.B. Hospodarsky, W.S. Kurth, M.K. Dougherty, D.G.
Mitchell, J.S. Leisner, K.K. Khurana, S. Grimald, C. Arridge, P. Schippers, N.
Andre, A. Coates
Over the last two years, the Cassini spacecraft has undergone a series of high
inclination orbits, allowing investigation and measurements of the Saturnian
auroral zone. The Radio and Plasma Wave Science (RPWS) Investigation has
detected low frequency funnel-shaped whistler mode emissions along the auroral
field lines, much like the auroral hiss observed at Earth. The poleward and
equatorward flaring of the auroral hiss funnel on the frequency-time spectrogram
is the result of whistler mode waves propagating upward into a region of
diminishing plasma density. These detections are important in understanding the
auroral processes occurring at Saturn. Integration of RPWS data with that from
other instruments, including MAG and MIMI, reveals a more complete picture of
this emission, demonstrating the field, currents, and particles involved with
this emission. Early analysis of this multi-instrument study will be presented.
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