Charged particle motions in the distended magnetospheres of Jupiter and Saturn
Description
Charged particle motion in the guiding center approximation is analyzed for models of the Jovian and Saturnian magnetospheric magnetic fields based on Voyager magnetometer observations. Field lines are traced and exhibit the distention which arises from azimuthally circulating magnetospheric currents. The spatial dependencies of the guiding center bounce period and azimuthal drift rate are investigated for the model fields. Non-dipolar effects in the gradient-curvature drift rate are most important at the equator and affect particles with all mirror latitudes. The effect is a factor of 10-15 for Jupiter with its strong magnetodisc current and 1-2 for Saturn with its more moderate ring current. Limits of adiabaticity, where particle gyroradii become comparable with magnetic scale lengths, are discussed and are shown to occur at quite modest kinetic energies for protons and heavier ions
Availability note (English)
MF available from INIS under the Report Number; Available from NTIS, PC A03/MF A01.Additional details
Publishing Information
- Imprint Pagination
- 37 p.
- Report number
- NASA-TM--83899
INIS
- Country of Publication
- United States
- Country of Input or Organization
- United States
- INIS RN
- 14766401
- Subject category
- S79: ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY;
- Descriptors DEI
- CHARGED PARTICLES; EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE; JUPITER PLANET; MAGNETIC FIELDS; PARTICLE KINEMATICS; PLANETARY MAGNETOSPHERES; RING CURRENTS; SATURN PLANET; VOYAGER SPACE PROBES
- Descriptors DEC
- ATMOSPHERES; CURRENTS; EARTH ATMOSPHERE; ELECTRIC CURRENTS; PLANETARY ATMOSPHERES; PLANETS; SPACE VEHICLES