Pioneer 10 and 11 (Jupiter and Saturn) magnetic field experiments. Final report

Technical Report · Wed Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1986

OSTI ID:6896136

Jones, D E

Magnet field data obtained by the vector helium magnetometer (VHM) during the encounters of Jupiter (Pioneer 10 and 11) and Saturn (Pioneer 11) was analyzed and interpreted. The puzzling characteristics of the Jovian and Saturnian magnetospheric magnetic fields were studied. An apparent substorm (including thinning of the dayside tail current sheet) was observed at Jupiter, as well as evidence suggesting that at the magnetopause the cusp is at an abnormally low latitude. The characteristics of Saturn's ring current as observed by Pioneer 11 were dramatically different from those suggested by the Voyager observations. Most importantly, very strong perturbations in the azimuthal ring current magnetic field suggest that the plane of the ring was not in the dipole equatorial plane, being tilted 5 to 10 deg. relative to the dipole and undergoing significant changes during the encounter. When these changing currents were corrected for, an improved planetary field determination was obtained. In addition, the ring and azimuthal currents at Saturn displayed significantly different time dependences.

• Research Organization: Brigham Young Univ., Provo, UT (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6896136
• Report Number(s): N-87-12520; NASA-CR-179856; NAS-1.26:179856; TRN: 87-007290
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
JUPITER PLANET
MAGNETIC FIELDS
SATURN PLANET
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
MAGNETIC STORMS
MAGNETOMETERS
RING CURRENTS
TIME DEPENDENCE
CURRENTS
DATA
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
INFORMATION
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
NUMERICAL DATA
PLANETS
640107* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Planetary Phenomena