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Detailed Reference Information
Desch et al. 1991
Desch, M.D., Farrell, W.M. and Kaiser, M.L. (1991). An anomalous component of neptune radio emission: Implications for the auroral zone. Journal of Geophysical Research 96: doi: 10.1029/90JA02325. issn: 0148-0227.

The Voyager planetary radio astronomy experiment detected a bursty, narrow-band radio emission originating in Neptune's magnetosphere. The time of occurrence of nearly all of the episodes of this bursty radio emission can be explained on the basis of a radio source located just above and to the east of the south magnetic offset tilted dipole (OTD) tip (Farrell et al., 1990). However, several episodes of bursty emission do not occur at the usual frequency and planetary rotation phase for emissions of this type. We show that the occurrences of these rarely seen anomalous episodes are shifted systematically in planetary longitude so as to be consistent with a source of emission to the southwest of the southern magnetic OTD pole. Owing to the proximity of these sources to the magnetic polar region we associate them with an active auroral region. Therefore, at least from the standpoint of the radio emission, the picture that emerges is of an auroral zone with two emission hot spots approximately diametrically east and west of the south magnetic pole. The possibility of a complete radio-active auroral oval is discussed.

BACKGROUND DATA FILES

Abstract

Keywords
Magnetospheric Physics, Auroral phenomena, Magnetospheric Physics, Planetary magnetospheres, Radio Science, Radio astronomy, Solar Physics, Astrophysics, and Astronomy, Radio emissions
Journal
Journal of Geophysical Research
http://www.agu.org/journals/jb/
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
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