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Northward field excursions in Saturn's magnetotail and their relationship to magnetospheric periodicities
Author(s) -
Jackman C. M.,
Arridge C. S.,
McAndrews H. J.,
Henderson M. G.,
Wilson R. J.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2009gl039149
Subject(s) - plasmoid , current sheet , physics , plasma sheet , saturn , magnetic field , magnetosphere , geophysics , field (mathematics) , astrophysics , magnetic reconnection , computational physics , magnetohydrodynamics , planet , mathematics , quantum mechanics , pure mathematics
We present results from an investigation of Cassini encounters with Saturn's magnetotail current sheet, using magnetic field and plasma data. In the first of two intervals shown, small periodic changes in the north‐south component of the magnetic field are matched by periodic density enhancements associated with the plasma sheet center. In the second interval, a large plasmoid signature is observed set against a background of small‐scale current sheet motions. We interpret the quasi‐periodic small field deflections and density enhancements as large‐scale wave‐like motion of the current sheet. We stress that plasmoid signatures are of a clearly different character and occur much less frequently.