Modelling of the ring current in Saturn’s magnetosphere.pdfVIP

Annales Geophysicae (2004) 22: 653–659 © European Geosciences Union 2004 Annales Geophysicae Modelling of the ring current in Saturn’s magnetosphere G. Giampieri and M. K. Dougherty Space and Atmospheric Physics, Imperial College, London, UK Received: 16 April 2003 – Revised: 24 June 2003 – Accepted: 27 June 2003 – Published: 1 January 2004 Abstract. The existence of a ring current inside Saturn’s sheet crossings were also observed. The flybys by the Voy- magnetosphere was first suggested by Smith et al. (1980) ager 1 (1980) and Voyager 2 (1981) spacecraft confirmed and Ness et al. (1981, 1982), in order to explain various fea- the surprising nature of the internal field, but also revealed tures in the magnetic field observations from the Pioneer 11 the need to include the effect of external sources of current and Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft. Connerney et al. (1983) ˜ (Acuna et al., 1981). Studies of Voyager 1 magnetic field formalized the equatorial current model, based on previous observations in the middle magnetosphere led Connerney et modelling work of Jupiter’s current sheet and estimated its al. (1981b) to conclude that the planet is surrounded by a parameters from the two Voyager data sets. Here, we inves- eastward flowing ring current in the equatorial plane. This tigate the model further, by reconsidering the data from the conclusion was confirmed by the subsequent Voyager 2 ob- two Voyager spacecraft, as well as includin