Electron signatures of satellite sweeping in the magnetosphere of Uranus

Abstract

The Voyager 2 Cosmic Ray System found large‐scale macrosignatures of satellite sweeping for MeV electrons near the orbits of the satellites Miranda, Ariel, and Umbriel in the magnetosphere of Uranus. Due to the large magnetic inclinations of satellite orbits at Uranus, sweeping rates vary along the orbits with the McIlwain L parameter. However, no evidence was found, where expected, for fresh sweeping signatures at such positions. Although the maximal electron intensity occurs near Voyager 2's minimum L (4.67) as predicted by the Q3 field model, the intensity minima in the macrosignatures show large outward displacements (≤0.5 RU) from minimum‐L positions of the associated satellites. These radial displacements increased with measured electron energy and at higher magnetic latitudes. Pitch angle distributions are generally more anisotropic outside the macrosignatures and more isotropic within, as determined from comparison of inbound and outbound intensity profiles at different latitudes. These anisotropy measurements provide the basis for latitudinal flux extrapolation, which when coupled with power law scaling of spectral distributions allow the calculation of phase space density profiles. The latter show local minima in the macrosignatures and are indicative of distributed electron sources in the inner magnetosphere and/or nonadiabatic transport processes such as pitch angle scattering and magnetospheric recirculation. Preliminary diffusion coefficients with values DLL ∼ 10−7–10−6 RS² and radial dependence DLL ∼ L3–L4 have been estimated for the macrosignatures. The low‐order L dependence of DLL is consistent with diffusion driven by ionospheric dynamo. However, quantitative modeling of radial and pitch angle diffusion is required to assess the formative processes for the macrosignatures before more physically meaningful transport parameters can be determined.