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An Overview of Observations by the Cassini Radio and Plasma Wave Investigation at EarthOn August 18, 1999, the Cassini spacecraft flew by Earth at an altitude of 1186 km on its way to Saturn. Although the flyby was performed exclusively to provide the spacecraft with sufficient velocity to get to Saturn, the radio and plasma wave science (RPWS) instrument, along with several others, was operated to gain valuable calibration data and to validate the operation of a number of capabilities. In addition, an opportunity to study the terrestrial radio and plasma wave environment with a highly capable instrument on a swift fly-through of the magnetosphere was afforded by the encounter. This paper provides an overview of the RPWS observations, at Earth, including the identification of a number of magnetospheric plasma wave modes, an accurate measurement of the plasma density over a significant portion of the trajectory using the natural wave spectrum in addition to a relaxation sounder and Langmuir probe, the detection of natural and human-produced radio emissions, and the validation of the capability to measure the wave normal angle and Poynting flux of whistler-mode chorus emissions. The results include the observation of a double-banded structure at closest' approach including a band of Cerenkov emission bounded by electron plasma and upper hybrid frequencies and an electron cyclotron harmonic band just above the second harmonic of the electron cyclotron frequency. In the near-Earth plasma sheet, evidence for electron phase space holes is observed, similar to those first reported by Geotail in the magnetotail. The wave normal analysis confirms the Polar result that chorus is generated very close to the magnetic equator and propagates to higher latitudes. The integrated power flux of auroral kilometric radiation is also used to identify a series of substorms observed during the outbound passage through the magnetotail.
Document ID
20020043280
Acquisition Source
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Kurth, W. S.
(Iowa Univ. Iowa City, IA United States)
Hospodarsky, G. B.
(Iowa Univ. Iowa City, IA United States)
Gurnett, D. A.
(Iowa Univ. Iowa City, IA United States)
Kaiser, M. L.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Wahlund, J.-E.
(Swedish Inst. of Space Physics Uppsala, Sweden)
Roux, A.
(Centre d'Etudes des Environnements et Planetaires Velizy, France)
Canu, P.
(Centre d'Etudes des Environnements et Planetaires Velizy, France)
Zarka, P.
(Observatoire de Paris-Meudon France)
Tokarev, Y.
(Radiophysical Research Inst. Nizhny Novgorod, Russia)
Date Acquired
August 20, 2013
Publication Date
December 1, 2001
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Geophysical Research
Publisher: American Geophysical Union
Volume: 106
Issue: A12
ISSN: 0148-0227
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Report/Patent Number
Paper-2001JA900033
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: JPL-961152
CONTRACT_GRANT: CRDF-RP1-2107
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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