A simulation approach of high-frequency electrostatic waves found in Saturn's magnetosphere

Using a particle-in-cell simulation, the characteristics of electron plasma and electron acoustic waves are investigated in plasmas containing an ion and two electron components. The electron velocities are modeled by a combination of two kappa distributions. The model applies to the extended plasma sheet region in Saturn's magnetosphere where the cool and hot electron velocities are found to have low indices, kappa(c) similar or equal to 2 and kappa(h) similar or equal to 4. For such low values of kappa(c) and kappa(h), the electron plasma and electron acoustic waves are coupled. The model predicts weakly damped electron plasma waves while electron acoustic waves should also be observable, although less prominent. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3695404]