Physics – Plasma Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2009
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009agufm.p43f..01c&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2009, abstract #P43F-01
Physics
Plasma Physics
[2459] Ionosphere / Planetary Ionospheres, [2756] Magnetospheric Physics / Planetary Magnetospheres, [6280] Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects / Saturnian Satellites, [7849] Space Plasma Physics / Plasma Interactions With Dust And Aerosols
Scientific paper
During recent Enceladus encounters by Cassini, the Cassini Electron Spectrometer, part of the CAPS instrument, detected fluxes of negative ions in the plumes from Enceladus (Coates et al, Icarus in press, 2009). It is thought that these ions include negatively charged water group cluster ions associated with the plume and forming part of the ‘plume ionosphere’. Here we present our observations, show that these are negative ions, and present preliminary mass identifications. We also suggest mechanisms for production and loss of the ions as constrained by the observations. Due to their short lifetime, we suggest that the ions are produced in or near the water vapour plume, or from the extended source of ice grains in the plume. Enceladus now joins the Earth, comet Halley and Titan as locations in the solar system where negative ions have been directly observed, although the ions observed in each case have distinctly different characteristics.
Coates Andrew J.
Crary Frank J.
Hill Thomas W.
Johnson Robert E.
Jones Geraint H.
No associations
LandOfFree
Negative Ions in the Enceladus Plume (Invited) does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Negative Ions in the Enceladus Plume (Invited), we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Negative Ions in the Enceladus Plume (Invited) will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1772948