Saturn lightning recorded by Cassini/RPWS in 2004

• Published in: Icarus (New York, N.Y. 1962) N.Y. 1962), 2006-07, Vol.183 (1), p.135-152
• Main Authors: Fischer, G., Desch, M.D., Zarka, P., Kaiser, M.L., Gurnett, D.A., Kurth, W.S., Macher, W., Rucker, H.O., Lecacheux, A., Farrell, W.M., Cecconi, B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Astronomy; Astrophysics; atmosphere; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; Physics; Saturn; Solar system
• ISSN: 0019-1035; 1090-2643
• DOI: 10.1016/j.icarus.2006.02.010

During 2004 the Cassini/RPWS (Radio and Plasma Wave Science) instrument recorded about 5400 SEDs (Saturn Electrostatic Discharges), which were organized in 4 storm systems and 95 episodes. A computer algorithm with different intensity thresholds was applied to extract the SEDs from the RPWS data, and a statistical analysis on the main characteristics of these SEDs is performed. Compared to the SEDs recorded by the Voyagers in the early 1980s, some characteristics like SED rate, intensity, signal duration, or power spectrum are similar, but there are also remarkable differences with regard to time occurrence and frequency range: The first appearance of SEDs (storm 0) was recorded by RPWS from a distance of more than 300 Saturn radii at the end of May 2004, followed by storm A in mid-July, storm B at the beginning of August, and the most prominent storm C throughout most of September. There were also significant intervals of time with no detectable SED activity, e.g., SEDs were practically absent from October 2004 until June 2005. No clear indication for SEDs below a frequency of 1.3 MHz could be found. We suggest that the SED storms A, B, C, and possibly also storm 0 originate from the same storm system residing at a latitude of 35° South, which lasted for several months, waxed and waned in strength, and rotated with the Voyager radio period of Saturn. The SED source might be located in the updrafting water clouds beneath the visible cloud features detected in the Cassini images.