Ulysses observations of Jovian relativistic electrons in the interplanetary space near Jupiter: Determination of perpendicular particle transport coefficients and their energy dependence

Abstract

Intensities of similar to 1-10 MeV relativistic electrons in several energy channels of the high-energy telescope (HET) on Ulysses increase dramatically during its flybys of Jupiter in 1992 and 2004. Perpendicular diffusion coefficients of these particles are derived by fitting the spatial profile of Jovian electron intensity to a diffusion-convection model of particle transport. It is found that the latitudinal diffusion coefficient during the 2004 Jupiter flyby has to be enhanced from its value during the 1992 Jupiter flyby and it is also enhanced relative to the radial perpendicular diffusion. Such an enhancement of latitudinal particle transport was implied previously through the observations of Jovian electrons, cosmic rays and solar energetic particles at high heliographic latitudes, and now this requirement extends further to low latitude region of the heliosphere. Energy dependence of the perpendicular diffusion coefficient is obtained quite precisely through the variation in the slope of energy spectrum of Jovian electrons. The perpendicular diffusion coefficient increases with energy, which can put a tight constraint on models of the particle transport coefficient. The newest nonlinear guiding center (NLGC) theory of perpendicular diffusion is consistent with this observation, but only when it is combined with a parallel diffusion coefficient from the quasilinear theory in a slab magnetic turbulence without dynamic damping. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.