Saturnian Low-Frequency Drifting Radio Bursts: Statistical Properties and Polarization

Abstract

After Cassini's arrival at planet Saturn, its Radio and Plasma Wave Science (RPWS) experiment has performed numerous observations of a new type of planetary radio emissions in the lower kHz frequency range (< 50 kHz). These bursty emissions have time scales of a few to 15 minutes and occur as slowly drifting events in the time-frequency spectrogram. They have neither been detected by the Voyager spacecraft nor by Ulysses. As a first approach to this new phenomenon, results of a statistical study with regard to the observer's position, i.e. Cassini's orbital position, will be presented. Furthermore, aspects of polarization will be highlighted as far as appropriate goniopolarimetric (3-antenna) observations are available.