@article{Arridge:2015:10.1038/nphys3565,
author = {Arridge, CS and Eastwood, J and Jackman, CM and Poh, GK and Slavin, JA and Thomsen, MF and Andre, N and Jia, X and Kidder, A and Lamy, L and Radioti, A and Reisenfeld, DB and Sergis, N and Volwerk, M and Walsh, AP and Zarka, P and Coates, AJ and Dougherty, MK},
doi = {10.1038/nphys3565},
journal = {Nature Physics},
pages = {268--271},
title = {Cassini in situ observations of long duration magnetic reconnection in Saturn’s magnetotail},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nphys3565},
volume = {12},
year = {2015}
}

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TY  - JOUR
AB  - Magnetic reconnection is a fundamental process in solar system and astrophysical plasmas, through which stored magnetic energy associated with current sheets is converted into thermal, kinetic and wave energy1, 2, 3, 4. Magnetic reconnection is also thought to be a key process involved in shedding internally produced plasma from the giant magnetospheres at Jupiter and Saturn through topological reconfiguration of the magnetic field5, 6. The region where magnetic fields reconnect is known as the diffusion region and in this letter we report on the first encounter of the Cassini spacecraft with a diffusion region in Saturn’s magnetotail. The data also show evidence of magnetic reconnection over a period of 19 h revealing that reconnection can, in fact, act for prolonged intervals in a rapidly rotating magnetosphere. We show that reconnection can be a significant pathway for internal plasma loss at Saturn6. This counters the view of reconnection as a transient method of internal plasma loss at Saturn5, 7. These results, although directly relating to the magnetosphere of Saturn, have applications in the understanding of other rapidly rotating magnetospheres, including that of Jupiter and other astrophysical bodies.
AU  - Arridge,CS
AU  - Eastwood,J
AU  - Jackman,CM
AU  - Poh,GK
AU  - Slavin,JA
AU  - Thomsen,MF
AU  - Andre,N
AU  - Jia,X
AU  - Kidder,A
AU  - Lamy,L
AU  - Radioti,A
AU  - Reisenfeld,DB
AU  - Sergis,N
AU  - Volwerk,M
AU  - Walsh,AP
AU  - Zarka,P
AU  - Coates,AJ
AU  - Dougherty,MK
DO  - 10.1038/nphys3565
EP  - 271
PY  - 2015///
SN  - 1745-2481
SP  - 268
TI  - Cassini in situ observations of long duration magnetic reconnection in Saturn’s magnetotail
T2  - Nature Physics
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nphys3565
UR  - http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/26949
VL  - 12
ER  - 

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