Search for Exogenous Water in Saturn's Atmosphere: a Critical Test for Ring Erosion Theory

Details Search for Exogenous Water in Saturn's Atmosphere: a Critical Test for Ring Erosion Theory Search for Exogenous Water in Saturn's Atmosphere: a Critical Test for Ring Erosion Theory

Jul 1993

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1993hst..prop.4716p&link_type=abstract

HST Proposal ID #4716

Computer Science

Hst Proposal Id #4716

Scientific paper

High spatial resolution observations of Saturn's UV flux are required to unambiguously detect the presence of water in Saturn's upper atmosphere and map latitudinal variations in the column abundance of exogenous water vapor. These observations are the essential test of electromagnetic ring erosion mechanism, in which water (in the form of charged sub-micron grains) is transported along magnetic field lines from the rings to specific latitudes in the upper atmosphere. The surface expression of this erosion process is a pattern of latitudinal variation of upper atmospheric water column density at magnetic latitudes linking the rings and atmosphere, which can only be identified with high spatial resolution ultraviolet spectra. We propose to map the emissions of Saturn's atmosphere with the Faint Object Camera in a wavelength range where water is expected to significantly absorb the UV (1200 A-1850 A). The corresponding latitudinal profile of the reflected flux will be derived and compared with reference latitudinal profiles obtained at wavelengths where water is not an absorber. Cycle 3 will provide optimal conditions to derive the latitudinal variations of reflected UV as both the Northern and Southern hemispheres come into view, and the rings appear nearly edge on. This observing geometry allows 1.) unocculted viewing of both hemispheres 2.) direct comparison of both hemispheres with only a single image. 3.) minimal interference from ring-scattered light.

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