Radio emission signature of Saturn immersions in Jupiter's magnetic tail

During the interval from about May through August 1981, when Voyager 2 was inbound to Saturn, the Planetary Radio Astronomy instrument measured repeated, dramatic decreases in the intensity of the Saturn Kilometric Radiation (SKR). The emission dropouts averaged two orders of magnitude below mean energy levels and varied from about 1 to 10 Saturn rotations in duration. Comparison with pre-Saturn encounter Voyager 1 observations (June to November, 1980) shows that the SKR dropouts were unique to the Voyager 2 observing interval, consistent with the closer proximity of Saturn to Jupiter's distant magnetotail in 1981. Further, the dropouts occurred on the average at times when Voyager 2 is known to have been within or near Jupiter's magnetic tail

Evidence for solar wind control of Saturn radio emission

Using data collected by the Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft in 1980 and 1981, strong evidence is presented for a direct correlation between variations in the solar wind at Saturn and the level of activity of Saturn's nonthermal radio emission. Correlation coefficients of 57 to 58% are reached at lag times of 0 to 1 days between the arrival at Saturn of high pressure solar wind streams and the onset of increased radio emission. The radio emission exhibits a long-term periodicity of 25 days, identical to the periodicity seen in the solar wind at this time and consistent with the solar rotation period. The energy coupling efficiency between the solar wind with the Saturn radio emission is estimated and compared with that for Earth

The Occurence Rate, Polarization Character, and Intensity of Broadband Jovian Kilometric Radiation

The major observational features of one new component of Jupiter's radio emission spectrum, the broadband kilometer-wavelenth radiation or bKOM are described. The Voyager planetary radio astronomy experiments reveal that the overall occurrence morphology, total power, and polarization character of bKOM are strong functions of the latitude and/or local time geometry of the observations. The post-encounter data show a decline in the mean occurrence rates and power level of bKOM and, in particular, a depletion in the occurrence rate at those same longitudes where the detection rate is a maximum before encounter. Additionally, the polarization sense undergoes a permanent reversal in sign after encounter, whereas the time-averaged wave axial ratio and degrees of polarization remain relatively unchanged. No evidence of any control by Io is found. The strong dependence of the morphology on local time suggests a source whose beam is nearly fixed relative to the Jupiter-sun line

A radiometric Bode's Law: Predictions for Uranus

The magnetospheres of three planets, Earth, Jupiter, and Saturn, are known to be sources of intense, nonthermal radio bursts. The emissions from these sources undergo pronounced long term intensity fluctuations that are caused by the solar wind interaction with the magnetosphere of each planet. Determinations by spacecraft of the low frequency radio spectra and radiation beam geometry now permit a reliable assessment of the overall efficiency of the solar wind in stimulating these emissions. Earlier estimates of how magnetospheric radio output scales with the solar wind energy input must be revised greatly, with the result that, while the efficiency is much lower than previously thought, it is remarkably uniform from planet to planet. The formulation of a radiometric Bode's Law from which a planet's magnetic moment is estimated from its radio emission output is presented. Applying the radiometric scaling law to Uranus, the low-frequency radio power is likely to be measured by the Voyager 2 spacecraft as it approaches this planet

Saturnian kilometric radiation: Source locations

The surce locations of both polariation components of the saturn kilometer wavelength radiation were deduced using Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 planetary radio astronomy data and assumptions about radiation beam geometry. Radio source footprints were compared with the surface locations of saturns ultraviolet aurorae, its polar cap boundary, and its polar cusp

Narrow-band Jovian Kilometric Radiation: a New Radio Component

A new component of Jupiter's radio spectrum is investigated. The component emits in a very narrow bandwidth (less than or equal to 40 kHz) near 100 kHz. Its waveform is a very smooth and gradual rise and subsequent fall in intensity, usually over two hours. The emission is polarized with left hand polarization associated with the Jovian northern magnetic hemisphere and right hand with the south. The emissions deviation from a strict system 3 rotation period repetition rate is examined. The emission source of the narrow band component which rotates 3 to 5 percent slower than all other forms of Jovian radio emission is determined from propagation considerations, coupled with the observed lack of corotation, to a source region near the equatorial plane at the outer edge of the Io plasma torus. The narrow band KOM (nKOM) form is examined using observations from the PRA instrument. The spectrum and occurrence statistics are described and contrasted with the tapered or broadband KOM (bKOM) characteristics

Voyager measurement of the rotation period of Saturn's magnetic field

Saturn's radio rotation period was determined using measurements made by the planetary radio astronomy experiment onboard the Voyager spacecraft. The sidereal period deduced, 10 hr 39 min 24 sec ? 7 sec, is within the 10 hr to 11 hr range of optical periods derived from a century of atmospheric spot and Doppler spectroscopy observations. The radio rotation period is presumably that of the planet's magnetic field. A provisional Saturn longitude convention is proposed and equations are provided to compute a longitude ephemeris and to transform between the proposed system and the (10 hr 14 min) system used for the Pioneer 11/Saturn encounter. The degree of longitude smearing which could result over the long term from the merging of data sets organized in this system is evaluated. No evidence of control of the radio emission by any of Saturn's satellites was found

Evidence for an Io plasma torus influence on high-latitude Jovian radio emission

We report the discovery with the Ulysses unified radio and plasma wave (URAP) instrument of features in the Jovian hectometer (HOM) wavelength radio emission spectrum which recur with a period about 2–4% longer than the Jovian System III rotation period. We conclude that the auroral HOM emissions are periodically blocked from “view” by regions in the torus of higher than average density and that these regions rotate more slowly than System III and persist for considerable intervals of time. We have reexamined the Voyager planetary radio astronomy (PRA) data taken during the flybys in 1979 and have found similar features in the HOM spectrum. Contemporaneous observations by Brown (1994) show an [SII] emission line enhancement in the Io plasma torus that rotates more slowly than System III by the same amount as the HOM feature

Direct evidence for solar wind control of Jupiter's hectometer-wavelength radio emission

Observations of the solar wind close to Jupiter, by the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft in 1978 and 1979, are compared with the hectometer wavelength radio emission from the planet. A significant positive correlation is found between variations in the solar wind plasma density at Jupiter and the level of Jovian radio emission output. During the 173-day interval studied for the Voyager 2 data, the radio emission displayed a long term periodicity of about 13 days, identical to that shown by the solar wind density at Jupiter and consistent with the magnetic sector structure association already proposed for groundbased observations of the decameter wavelength emission

The relationship between Saturn kilometric radiation and the solar wind

Voyager spacecraft radio, interplanetary plasma, and interplanetary magnetic field data are used to show that large amplitude fluctuations in the power generated by the Saturn kilometric radio emission are best correlated with solar wind ram pressure variation. In all, thirteen solar wind quantities previously found important in driving terrestrial magnetospheric substorms and other auroral processes were examined for evidence of correlations with the Saturn radio emission. The results are consistent with hydromagnetic wave or eddy diffusion processes driven by large scale solar wind pressure changes at Saturn's dayside magnetopause