The variable extension of Saturn׳s electron radiation belts

• We track the variability of Saturn׳s electron radiation belts for more than 7 years.
• We demonstrate that the dominant source of the belts is in the ring current.
• We find evidence of solar UV and solar wind control of the system.
• Monitoring of the electron belts can be used to trace magnetospheric dynamics.

Contrary to the permanent MeV ion belts which are relatively stable in intensity over both short and long time scales and are modulated by a single Galactic Cosmic Ray driven source, the electron belts of Saturn appear to be much more complex in both structure and temporal evolution. In order to understand the responses of this system to the different factors that may control it (internal or external/solar sources) we study its long-term, temporal evolution. We achieve that by tracking the equatorial distance of the belts׳ outer boundary, using MIMI/LEMMS energetic charged particle observations over a period of more than 7 years. This boundary is defined at the distance that a selected count rate level is measured in a LEMMS channel that has the properties of an omnidirectional, integral energy detector. Simulated solar wind moments, energetic neutral atom (ENA) observations and solar irradiance data are used to support the analysis. In many cases, correlations of the different datasets are weak, suggesting that the electron belts are modulated in time scales that are much shorter than the sampling of the electron belt boundary (typically every 10–30 days). Still, we find several cases of persistent, long term and strong perturbations in the system that appear to have corresponding disturbances in the extension of the electron belts, even on such long time scales. From the analysis of those intervals we believe that we have established a solid link with the planetary ring current as the primary source of the electron belts of Saturn. This is concluded mostly on the basis of an extended ring current decay in 2011 (inferred through ENA observations), coinciding with a similar, unusual drop in the electron belt extension (and intensity). This means that the electron belts should reflect also the modulation of the ring current. We suggest that possible sources of long term modulation are both the solar UV irradiance of the Saturnian thermosphere and the solar wind. The former appears to acquire large values and exhibit significant changes during the period of the electron belt/ring current decay, while an approximate 2-week periodicity (characteristic for the case of two solar wind streams per solar rotation) appears in the electron belts in the form of recurrent expansions or intensifications. The latter finding indicates that external forcing by the solar wind can have a considerable impact on the planet׳s electron belts, contrary to the expectations that Saturn׳s magnetospheric dynamics are rotationally dominated and internally driven.