O2 and O2+ density from the Rings through Inner Magnetosphere

Details O2 and O2+ density from the Rings through Inner Magnetosphere O2 and O2+ density from the Rings through Inner Magnetosphere

Dec 2008

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008agufm.p13a1294e&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2008, abstract #P13A-1294

Physics

2756 Planetary Magnetospheres (5443, 5737, 6033), 5737 Magnetospheres (2756), 5759 Rings And Dust

Scientific paper

The main rings and the ice grains in the tenuous F and G rings are a source of O2+ ions for the inner magnetosphere (Tokar et. al. 2005). These ions are formed from neutral O2 through the decomposition of ice by incident radiation (Johnson et. al. 2006). As the principal source of O2+ ions is from the ionization of the neutral O2 molecules through photo and electron impact ionization, O2+ becomes a marker for the radiation induced decomposition of ice and the presence of O2 neutrals. Recently, Martens et al (2008) described O2+ beyond the orbit of Enceladus, noting the possibility that Rhea is a source. Here we focus on O2+ inside the orbit of Enceladus. Through simulations of the neutral cloud created by photo- induced decomposition of the ice in the main rings and the tenuous F and G rings (Johnson et. al. 2006, Tseng et. al. 2008) it is possible to calculate the column density of the neutrals and the O2+ source rate in the inner magnetosphere. Using the Cassini Plasma Spectrometer (CAPS) data we describe the density of the O2+ ions from the rings out to the orbit of Enceladus. The largest source of O2 neutrals is expected to be the main rings. However, here we examine whether or not the energetic ion irradiation of grains in the F and G rings are significant sources of O2 and if ion-neutral reactions in the Enceladus plume are a possible source. References: Johnson, R.E., et. al., "Production, Ionization and Redistribution of O2 Saturn's Ring Atmosphere" Icarus 180, 393-402 (2006). Martens, H. R., et. al., 'Observations of molecular oxygen ions in Saturn's inner magnetosphere'. Geophy. Res. Lett. In press(2008). Tokar, R.L., et. al., 2005. Cassini Observations of the Thermal Plasma in the Vicinity of Saturn's Main Rings and the F and G Rings. Geophys. Res. Lett. 32, doi:10.1029/2005GL022690. L14S04. Tseng et. al. 'Saturn's Ring Atmosphere' to be submitted (2008).

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