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A regular period for Saturn’s magnetic field that may track its internal rotation Nature, Volume 441, Issue 7089, pp. 62-64 (2006)

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1 A regular period for Saturn’s magnetic field that may track its internal rotation Nature, Volume 441, Issue 7089, pp. 62-64 (2006)

2 Saturn’s rotation is difficult to determine There is no solid surface from which to time it. The alternative ‘clock’—the magnetic field—is nearly symmetrically aligned with the rotation axis.

3 Saturn is an intense radio emitter. The primary component of this radiation is called Saturn kilometric radiation (SKR). The radio rotation period is presumably that of the planet's magnetic field.

4 Previous observations (the Saturnian kilometric radiation) Voyager 1 & 2 10 h 39 min 24 s +/- 7s Ulysses 10 h 39 min 22 s (the radio period is not constant) Cassini 10 h 45 min 45 s +/- 36 s The reasons for this shift are poorly understood.

5 Cassini-Huygens mission Cassini-Huygens is a joint NASA/ESA/ASI space mission intended to study Saturn and its moons. launched on October 15, 1997 entered orbit on Jun. 30, 2004.

6 These residuals are calculated by subtracting the estimated contribution of the internal planetary field and the external magnetodisk current sheet. Periodicity in Saturn’s magnetic field

7 P =10 h 47 min 6 s +/- 40 s The power spectra of the residuals

8 Conclusion the first accurate and direct measurement of Saturn’s magnetic field periodicity

9 Thank you


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