Mapping Magnetospheric Equatorial Regions at Saturn from Cassini Prime Mission Observations
Mapping Magnetospheric Equatorial Regions at Saturn from Cassini Prime Mission Observations
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DOI：
10.1007/s11214-011-9850-4
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发表时间：
2011-12
影响因子：
10.3
通讯作者：
C. Arridge;C. Arridge;N. André;H. McAndrews;E. Bunce;Matthew H. Burger;K. Hansen;Hsiang-Wen Hsu;Robert E. Johnson;Geraint H. Jones;Geraint H. Jones;S. Kempf;K. Khurana;N. Krupp;W. Kurth;J. Leisner;J. Leisner;C. Paranicas;E. Roussos;Christopher T. Russell;P. Schippers;E. Sittler;H. Smith;M. Thomsen;M. Dougherty
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
C. Arridge;C. Arridge;N. André;H. McAndrews;E. Bunce;Matthew H. Burger;K. Hansen;Hsiang-Wen Hsu;Robert E. Johnson;Geraint H. Jones;Geraint H. Jones;S. Kempf;K. Khurana;N. Krupp;W. Kurth;J. Leisner;J. Leisner;C. Paranicas;E. Roussos;Christopher T. Russell;P. Schippers;E. Sittler;H. Smith;M. Thomsen;M. Dougherty
土星丰富的磁层环境在太阳系中是独一无二的，有着大量活跃的磁层过程和现象。卡西尼号航天器对这种环境的观测使人们能够研究磁层系统，该系统与土星系统的其他组成部分强烈相互作用：行星、土星环、许多卫星（冰冷的卫星和土卫六）以及各种尘埃、中性和等离子体。了解这些区域，它们的动力学和平衡，以及它们如何通过质量，动量和能量的交换与系统的其他部分相互作用，对于理解整个系统非常重要。这种理解对理论家、建模者和观察者都是一种挑战。基于卡西尼号数据对土星磁层的研究揭示了一个高度可变的系统，这使得理解土星磁层的物理学变得更加困难。卡西尼号将一套全面的磁层场和粒子仪器与土星系统的良好轨道覆盖相结合，为深入研究土星等离子体和磁场环境提供了一个独特的机会。本文将介绍土星赤道磁层的知识，并将其合成为一幅全球性的图片。来自卡西尼磁力计、低能等离子体光谱仪、高能粒子探测器、无线电和等离子体波仪器、宇宙尘埃探测器的数据以及理论和建模的结果结合在一起，提供了土星赤道磁层区域的多仪器识别和表征。这项工作强调在工作中的物理过程在每个区域和它们的边界。这项研究的结果是土星的近赤道磁层的地图，这是我们目前的理解在卡西尼总理使命的赤道磁层的全球配置结束的合成。
Saturn’s rich magnetospheric environment is unique in the solar system, with a large number of active magnetospheric processes and phenomena. Observations of this environment from the Cassini spacecraft has enabled the study of a magnetospheric system which strongly interacts with other components of the saturnian system: the planet, its rings, numerous satellites (icy moons and Titan) and various dust, neutral and plasma populations. Understanding these regions, their dynamics and equilibria, and how they interact with the rest of the system via the exchange of mass, momentum and energy is important in understanding the system as a whole. Such an understanding represents a challenge to theorists, modellers and observers. Studies of Saturn’s magnetosphere based on Cassini data have revealed a system which is highly variable which has made understanding the physics of Saturn’s magnetosphere all the more difficult. Cassini’s combination of a comprehensive suite of magnetospheric fields and particles instruments with excellent orbital coverage of the saturnian system offers a unique opportunity for an in-depth study of the saturnian plasma and fields environment. In this paper knowledge of Saturn’s equatorial magnetosphere will be presented and synthesised into a global picture. Data from the Cassini magnetometer, low-energy plasma spectrometers, energetic particle detectors, radio and plasma wave instrumentation, cosmic dust detectors, and the results of theory and modelling are combined to provide a multi-instrumental identification and characterisation of equatorial magnetospheric regions at Saturn. This work emphasises the physical processes at work in each region and at their boundaries. The result of this study is a map of Saturn’s near equatorial magnetosphere, which represents a synthesis of our current understanding at the end of the Cassini Prime Mission of the global configuration of the equatorial magnetosphere.