Energetic Solar Wind Ions As Probes Of Saturn's Magnetosphere

Details Energetic Solar Wind Ions As Probes Of Saturn's Magnetosphere Energetic Solar Wind Ions As Probes Of Saturn's Magnetosphere

Dec 2009

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009agufmsm23c1629c&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2009, abstract #SM23C-1629

Physics

[2164] Interplanetary Physics / Solar Wind Plasma, [2731] Magnetospheric Physics / Magnetosphere: Outer, [2784] Magnetospheric Physics / Solar Wind/Magnetosphere Interactions, [6275] Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects / Saturn

Scientific paper

Energetic solar wind ions can be used as tracers of solar wind particle entry into and interaction with planetary magnetospheric environments. We use Cassini's MIMI/CHEMS Charge-Energy-Mass Spectrometer to investigate the solar wind origin He+2 and high charge state O≥+6 and Fe≥+7 ions observed in and near Saturn's magnetosphere in the range ~3-220 keV/e. He+2 being a major solar wind component is measured throughout most of the magnetosphere, while O≥+6 and Fe≥+7, lesser solar wind components than He+2, are abundant enough to often present useful flux levels therein. O≥+6 and Fe≥+7 are valuable in that they experience charge exchange with Saturn's neutral populations. Low oxygen charge states O≤+3 originate in Saturn's magnetosphere from Saturn's moons and rings. Intermediate charge exchange products O+4 and O+5 are produced in the magnetosphere by charge exchange down from solar wind O≥+6 and up from magnetospheric O≤+3. All oxygen charge states exhibit variable flux levels from orbit to orbit, reflecting variations in the solar wind and magnetospheric sources and, possibly, the magnetospheric neutral population. We will survey the O≥+4 and Fe≥+7 ions observed in and near the magnetosphere from the 2004-2006 equatorial orbits to assess their usefulness in investigating both charge exchange in and the solar wind interaction with Saturn's magnetosphere.

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