Simultaneous Cassini VIMS and UVIS observations of Saturn's southern aurora : comparing emissions from H, H2 and H3+ at a high spatial resolution

Melin, H. and Stallard, T. and Miller, S. and Gustin, J. and Galand, M. and Badman, S. V. and Pryor, W. R. and O'donoghue, J. and Brown, R. H. and Baines, K. H. (2011) Simultaneous Cassini VIMS and UVIS observations of Saturn's southern aurora : comparing emissions from H, H2 and H3+ at a high spatial resolution. Geophysical Research Letters, 38 (15): L15203. ISSN 0094-8276

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Abstract

Here, for the first time, temporally coincident and spatially overlapping Cassini VIMS and UVIS observations of Saturn's southern aurora are presented. Ultraviolet auroral H and H2 emissions from UVIS are compared to infrared H3+ emission from VIMS. The auroral emission is structured into three arcs – H, H2 and H3+ are morphologically identical in the bright main auroral oval (∼73°S), but there is an equatorward arc that is seen predominantly in H (∼70°S), and a poleward arc (∼74°S) that is seen mainly in H2 and H3+. These observations indicate that, for the main auroral oval, UV emission is a good proxy for the infrared H3+ morphology (and vice versa), but for emission either poleward or equatorward this is no longer true. Hence, simultaneous UV/IR observations are crucial for completing the picture of how the atmosphere interacts with the magnetosphere.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
Geophysical Research Letters
Additional Information:
Copyright 2011 by the American Geophysical Union.
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1900/1908
Subjects:
?? saturnaurorainfraredultravioletgeophysicsearth and planetary sciences(all) ??
ID Code:
67085
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
10 Oct 2013 15:02
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
27 Feb 2024 00:57