scholarly journals Saturn's Auroral Field‐Aligned Currents: Observations From the Northern Hemisphere Dawn Sector During Cassini's Proximal Orbits

2020 ◽  
Vol 125 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
G. J. Hunt ◽  
E. J. Bunce ◽  
H. Cao ◽  
S. W. H. Cowley ◽  
M. K. Dougherty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Northern Hemisphere ◽  
Dawn Sector

scholarly journals Saturn’s Auroral Field-Aligned Currents: Observations from the Northern Hemisphere Dawn Sector During Cassini’s Proximal Orbits

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Greg Hunt ◽  
Emma Bunce ◽  
Hao Cao ◽  
Stan Cowley ◽  
Michele Dougherty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Northern Hemisphere ◽  
Giant Planet ◽  
Auroral Oval ◽  
Local Times ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Current Profile ◽  
Azimuthal Magnetic Field ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Dawn Sector ◽  
Upward Current

<p>We examine the azimuthal magnetic field signatures associated with Saturn’s northern hemisphere auroral field-aligned currents observed in the dawn sector during Cassini’s Proximal orbits (April 2017 and September 2017). We compare these currents with observations of the auroral currents from near noon taken during the F-ring orbits prior to the Proximal orbits. First, we show that the position of the main auroral upward current is displaced poleward between the two local times (LT). This is consistent with the statistical position of the ultraviolet auroral oval for the same time interval. Second, we show the overall average ionospheric meridional current profile differs significantly on the equatorward boundary of the upward current with a swept-forward configuration with respect to planetary rotation present at dawn. We separate the planetary period oscillation (PPO) currents from the PPO-independent currents and show their positional relationship is maintained as the latitude of the current shifts in LT implying an intrinsic link between the two systems. Focusing on the individual upward current sheets pass-by-pass we find that the main upward current at dawn is stronger compared to near-noon. This results in the current density been ~1.4 times higher in the dawn sector. We determine a proxy for the precipitating electron power and show that the dawn PPO-independent upward current electron power is ~1.9 times higher than at noon. These new observations of the dawn auroral region from the Proximal suggest the possibility of an additional upward current at dawn likely associated with strong flows in the outer magnetosphere. These findings provide new insights into the dawn sector of giant planet magnetospheres.</p>

Alpha-Effect, Current and Kinetic Helicities for Magnetically Driven Turbulence, and Solar Dynamo

2000 ◽  
Vol 179 ◽  
pp. 387-388
Author(s):  
Gaetano Belvedere ◽  
V. V. Pipin ◽  
G. Rüdiger
Keyword(s):  
Southern Hemisphere ◽  
Northern Hemisphere ◽  
Convection Zone ◽  
Solar Surface ◽  
Momentum Transport ◽  
Angular Momentum Transport ◽  
Magnetic Buoyancy ◽  
Alpha Effect ◽  
Current Helicity

Extended AbstractRecent numerical simulations lead to the result that turbulence is much more magnetically driven than believed. In particular the role ofmagnetic buoyancyappears quite important for the generation ofα-effect and angular momentum transport (Brandenburg & Schmitt 1998). We present results obtained for a turbulence field driven by a (given) Lorentz force in a non-stratified but rotating convection zone. The main result confirms the numerical findings of Brandenburg & Schmitt that in the northern hemisphere theα-effect and the kinetic helicityℋkin= 〈u′ · rotu′〉 are positive (and negative in the northern hemisphere), this being just opposite to what occurs for the current helicityℋcurr= 〈j′ ·B′〉, which is negative in the northern hemisphere (and positive in the southern hemisphere). There has been an increasing number of papers presenting observations of current helicity at the solar surface, all showing that it isnegativein the northern hemisphere and positive in the southern hemisphere (see Rüdigeret al. 2000, also for a review).

The Hemispheric Sign Rule of Current Helicity during the Rising Phase of Cycle 23

2000 ◽  
Vol 179 ◽  
pp. 303-306
Author(s):  
S. D. Bao ◽  
G. X. Ai ◽  
H. Q. Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cycle ◽  
Southern Hemisphere ◽  
Northern Hemisphere ◽  
Active Regions ◽  
Hemispheric Preference ◽  
Current Helicity

AbstractWe compute the signs of two different current helicity parameters (i.e., αbestandHc) for 87 active regions during the rise of cycle 23. The results indicate that 59% of the active regions in the northern hemisphere have negative αbestand 65% in the southern hemisphere have positive. This is consistent with that of the cycle 22. However, the helicity parameterHcshows a weaker opposite hemispheric preference in the new solar cycle. Possible reasons are discussed.

Status of “AGK4” Project

1978 ◽  
Vol 48 ◽  
pp. 527-533
Author(s):  
Chr. de Vegt
Keyword(s):  
Northern Hemisphere ◽  
Proper Motion ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Spectral Bandpass

The present accuracy limit for the majority of fainter stars on the northern hemisphere is set by the AGK2/3-catalogue, recently completely finished, but it should be noted that its epoch is much earlier (1960). Furtheron the AGK3-catalogue is a direct repetition of the AGK2, the plates have been taken with the same astrograph in a broad blue spectral bandpass and measured visually with the same equipment, therefore virtually an instrumental standard of 1930 is realized again. Figure 1 shows the mean errors of the AGK2/3 catalogue positions as a function of magnitude. The best accuracy for the AGK2/3 data is obtained for the stars of about ninth magnitude: 017 (AGK2) and 020 (AGK3) but decreases for the faint stars with mpg11 to 019 (AGK2) and Pg 027 (AGK3). Here the AGK3 data are even less accurate. With increasing distance to the catalogue epochs, the accuracy of positions decreases due to the proper motion errors. In the upper part of figure 2 the dependence of the AGK2/3 catalogue accuracy on time is shown for the faint stars separately and an averaged value.

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