Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2011
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011agufmsm11a1986e&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2011, abstract #SM11A-1986
Physics
[2151] Interplanetary Physics / Neutral Particles, [2467] Ionosphere / Plasma Temperature And Density, [2730] Magnetospheric Physics / Magnetosphere: Inner, [2732] Magnetospheric Physics / Magnetosphere Interactions With Satellites And Rings
Scientific paper
With the discovery of an oxygen atmosphere over Saturn's main rings by the Cassini spacecraft observation, as well a strong, but variable source of water products from the plumes emanating from the southern polar region of Saturn's moon Enceladus, our picture of the physics of Saturn's close inner magnetosphere from the main rings to inside the orbit of Enceladus has changed dramatically. This region contains oxygen ions (O+ and O2+) from the extended ring atmosphere and water group ions (O+, OH+, H2O+, and H3O+) from the Enceladus torus. The purpose of this study is to examine ion densities, temperatures and composition from several periapses passes from 2004 to 2010 for the region from 2.4 Rs to 3.5 Rs (1 Rs = 1 Saturn Radius ~ 60,300 km) in order to separate contributions from seasonal variations in the rings atmosphere from the variable source of water products due to the Enceladus torus. Because of the high background of this region, the number of orbits used in this study with good signal and pointing is limited to 6 passes, SOI, 2005 (5 Sept), 2007 (11 Jun, 27/28 Jun), and 2010 (3 Mar, 19 Jun). Our analysis indicates that large variations in ion density temperature, and composition occurred between 2004 and 2010 and these in turn differ from the Voyager 2 data. Although the Enceladus plumes are variable, the very large variability in the ion density and the changing composition from 2004 to equinox near 2010 appears to be consistent with our corrected seasonal variations in the ring atmosphere. We have produced a simple photochemical model including ion-molecule interactions combining the water products from Enceladus and the seasonal variation in the ring atmosphere to describe the observed temporal effects.
Elrod Meredith K.
Johnson Robert E.
Tseng W.
Wilson Richard J.
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