First Analysis of Quasi-Periodic Whistler Mode Emissions in Saturn's Inner Magnetosphere
Abstract
In Saturn’s magnetosphere, the electron density inside of 5-6 RS has been shown to vary with longitude. When Cassini passes through this space, the Radio and Plasma Wave Science (RPWS) instrument occasionally observes a series of whistler mode emissions that each rise in frequency over a period of five to ten minutes and repeat every five to ten minutes. These waves are present in the RPWS data set starting in 2005 and continuing through to the present date, and are seen over a large range of L shells and latitudes. In this study, we perform a first analysis of these waves in which we study their occurrence and propagation characteristics. We focus on source mechanisms and correlations with known aspects of the Saturnian system, such as position relative to the moon Enceladus and position within the magnetosphere. Lastly, we examine possible implications that the generation of these waves has for longitudinal asymmetries in the electron population beyond the known density structure.
