Ice chemistry on the Saturnian satellites

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Scientific paper

The magnetosphere of Saturn contains plasma ions that have flows inwards and outwards of the planet, as measured by Voyager. These ions impact the satellites and induce chemistry in their surfaces. Voyager measured such species as O+, H2O+ (and other water group ions), N+, N2+, H+ and others, as well as electrons. If N+ and N2+ ions from Titan sputtering reach the inner satellites Rhea, Dione, Tethys, Enceladus and Mimas, implanting of these ions into the water ice surfaces should induce a complex nitrogen oxides chemistry. Species observed in laboratory experiments of N+ impact into water ice include NO, NO2, NO3, HNO2, HNO3, NH2OH, HNO, NH, and NH2. Impact of N2+ will yield N2O, HNNO, and N2. If the surfaces also include CO2 (which is a possible volatile already observed on the Jovian satellites), then other species that may be formed as a result of N+ impact into H2O/CO2 ice will be HNCO, NCO and R-OCN. The simplest molecule, NO (nitric oxide), should have an appreciable vapor pressure at Saturnian satellite temperatures. At 90 K (a typical temp for Saturnian satellites), the vapor pressure of NO is about 4 millibar. At 105 K, its v.p. would be 98 millibar. This should be observable with high-resolution instruments.

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