Macrosignatures of the icy moons in the inner magnetosphere of Saturn

Details Macrosignatures of the icy moons in the inner magnetosphere of Saturn Macrosignatures of the icy moons in the inner magnetosphere of Saturn

Dec 2005

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2005agufm.p43a0958j&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2005, abstract #P43A-0958

Physics

2756 Planetary Magnetospheres (5443, 5737, 6033), 5465 Rings And Dust, 5737 Magnetospheres (2756), 6280 Saturnian Satellites

Scientific paper

The energetic particle population of the inner magnetosphere of Saturn is significantly affected by the presence of the planet's icy moons. Charged particles that strike the surfaces of these moons are removed from the magnetosphere, significantly reducing the fluxes of particles observed on crossing these moons' L-shells. The signatures have previously been separated into two classes: Microsignatures are temporary signatures in longitude and time observed in the charged-particle wakes of satellites. Macrosignatures are longitude- and time-averaged effects of absorbers on the radial distribution of particles. Here, we present an overview of the decreases in energetic particle fluxes observed at these moons' L-shells, as observed by the LEMMS portion of the MIMI instrument aboard Cassini. We concentrate on macrosignatures, particularly those at the L-shell of Enceladus, where a deep, persistent decrease in energetic protons is observed. We discuss these features' formation, and the possible contribution of E-ring material to the observed flux decreases. It has recently been suggested that charged particle bombardment leads to a conversion of water ice from a crystalline to an amorphous state. Here we discuss the particle evidence for persistent weathering of Enceladus's surface and the extent to which each charged species is likely involved in this process.

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