Searching for Saturn's X-ray aurorae: a novel strategy
Abstract
After a decade of X-ray observations of Saturn, evidence for X-ray aurorae on the planet is still eluding us. In this presentation we describe a novel approach that we have adopted in searching for them. By analogy with Jupiter, we expect that Saturnian Xray auroral emissions may originate from charge exchange of solar wind ions with the planet's atmospheric neutrals; the emission is expected to be brightest during episodes of enhanced solar wind. Our approach is to apply sophisticated codes that have been developed to propagate solar wind parameters measured near the Earth to the giant planets, and trigger X-ray observations at the time solar wind enhancements reach the planets. We have attempted this for Saturn in April-May 2011 with the Chandra X-ray Observatory, and here we report the results of these observations.
- Publication:
-
EPSC-DPS Joint Meeting 2011
- Pub Date:
- October 2011
- Bibcode:
- 2011epsc.conf.1251B