Plasma variations in Saturn's inner magnetosphere from the main rings to Enceladus

Details Plasma variations in Saturn's inner magnetosphere from the main rings to Enceladus Plasma variations in Saturn's inner magnetosphere from the main rings to Enceladus

Oct 2011

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011epsc.conf.1425e&link_type=abstract

EPSC-DPS Joint Meeting 2011, held 2-7 October 2011 in Nantes, France. http://meetings.copernicus.org/epsc-dps2011, p.1425

Physics

Scientific paper

With the discovery of an oxygen atmosphere over Saturn's main rings by the Cassini spacecraft observation (Tokar et al., 2005; Johnson et al. 2006), as well a strong, but variable source from the plumes emanating from the southern polar region of the moon Enceladus (Porco et al., 2005; Smith et al., 2010) the physics of the inner magnetosphere from the main rings to inside the orbit of Enceladus has changed dramatically. This region contains O2 produced by the ring atmosphere and water group ions from the plumes. During the Saturn Orbit Insertion (SOI), July 1, 2004, Cassini detected a significant density of O2 + ions over the main rings and between the F & G rings suggestive of an oxygen atmosphere produced from photochemistry of the ice particles in Saturn's ring system (Johnson et al., 2006, Tseng et al., 2009, Tseng & Ip 2010). We have produced a simple photochemistry model combining the water products from Enceladus and the seasonal effects on the ring atmosphere. The purpose of this study is to examine ion densities and composition from several periapses passes from 2004 to 2010 for the region in order to separate contributions from the seasonal effect on the ring atmosphere from any contribution from water products coming from Enceladus. Due to the high background of this region, the number of orbits used in this study with good pointing into the plasma is limited to 6 passes, SOI, 2005(Sept 5), 2007(June 11, June 27/28), and 2010 (Mar 3, June 19). Our analysis indicates a large variation in ion density and temperature between 2004 and 2010 and between the Voyager 2 data. Although the Enceladus plumes are variable, the very large variability in the ion density and the changing composition from 2004 to equinox appears to be more consistent with the seasonal variation estimated for the ring

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