Saturn's Auroras and Polar Atmosphere from Cassini UVIS

Details Saturn's Auroras and Polar Atmosphere from Cassini UVIS Saturn's Auroras and Polar Atmosphere from Cassini UVIS

Dec 2006

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006agufm.p41c1305p&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2006, abstract #P41C-1305

Physics

5704 Atmospheres (0343, 1060), 5706 Aurorae, 5709 Composition (1060)

Scientific paper

Cassini's Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph (UVIS) has completed two years of study of Saturn's atmosphere and auroras. Two long slit spectral channels are used to obtain EUV data from 56.3-118.2 nm and FUV data from 111.5-191.3 nm. 64 spatial pixels along each slit are combined with slit motion to construct spectral images of Saturn, with sufficient spatial resolution to image Saturn's auroral oval when Cassini leaves Saturn's equatorial plane. We will present new images and time-series data from summer 2006. Detailed spectral models of molecular hydrogen auroral emissions that include hydrocarbon absorption and hydrogen self- absorption have now been compared to UVIS data. We are analyzing a UV spectral feature detected in an auroral oval image from 2005. The feature is an absorption feature concentrated inside the oval, at wavelengths dominated by reflected sunlight and acetylene absorption. The absorption feature appears as a broad absorption "scoop". One plausible molecule that has a similar absorption feature is benzene, which has a cross-section some 500 times larger than acetylene in this spectral region. Thus UVIS is sensitive to small quantities of benzene. Enhanced polar benzene has been previously observed at Jupiter and can be generated in coupled photochemical/auroral models. We will explore the uniqueness of this interpretation, and compare the inferred benzene abundances to results from complementary Cassini CIRS infrared observations. Additional out of the equatorial plane UVIS Saturn data planned for the coming months will improve the signal- to-noise ratio and spatial resolution on the auroral ovals and their interior. Coordinated observations with Cassini VIMS and Hubble Space Telescope are being scheduled for 2007.

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