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Detailed Reference Information
Clarke et al. 2006
Clarke, K.E., André, N., Andrews, D.J., Coates, A.J., Cowley, S.W.H., Dougherty, M.K., Lewis, G.R., McAndrews, H.J., Nichols, J.D., Robinson, T.R. and Wright, D.M. (2006). Cassini observations of planetary-period oscillations of Saturn's magnetopause. Geophysical Research Letters 33: doi: 10.1029/2006GL027821. issn: 0094-8276.

Examination of Cassini magnetic field and plasma data in the outer boundary regions of Saturn's magnetosphere shows that magnetopause oscillations at the planetary period commonly occur, in phase with plasma pressure variations inside the magnetosphere. The peak-to-trough amplitude of the boundary oscillations mapped to the planet-Sun line is estimated to be typically ~2 RS, corresponding to a ~10% change in the boundary radius. The change in internal pressure required to produce such motions is estimated to be ~40% of the background values. A qualitative physical picture is proposed in which a compressive wave propagates outward through the sub-corotating outer magnetospheric plasma, originating from a corotating source in the nearer-planet region.

BACKGROUND DATA FILES

Abstract

Keywords
Magnetospheric Physics, Magnetopause and boundary layers, Magnetospheric Physics, Magnetospheric configuration and dynamics, Magnetospheric Physics, Magnetosphere, outer, Magnetospheric Physics, Planetary magnetospheres (5443, 5737, 6033)
Journal
Geophysical Research Letters
http://www.agu.org/journals/gl/
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
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