Cassini RPWS observations of dust in Saturn's E Ring

Details Cassini RPWS observations of dust in Saturn's E Ring Cassini RPWS observations of dust in Saturn's E Ring

Aug 2006

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006p%26ss...54..988k&link_type=abstract

Planetary and Space Science, Volume 54, Issue 9-10, p. 988-998.

Physics

20

Scientific paper

The Cassini radio and plasma wave science (RPWS) instrument is sensitive to few-micron dust grains impacting on the spacecraft at relative speeds of order 10 km/s. Through the first year or so of operations in orbit at Saturn, the RPWS has made a number of both inclined and equatorial crossings of the E ring, particularly near the orbit of Enceladus. Assuming water ice grains, the typical size particle detected by the RPWS has a radius of a few microns. Peak impact rates of about 50 s-1 are found near the orbit of Enceladus corresponding to densities of order 5×10-4 m-3. The variation of dust fluxes as a function of height above or below the equator is well described by a Gaussian distribution with a scale height of about 2800 km although there is usually some non-Gaussian variation near the peak fluxes suggesting some structure in the core of the ring. Offsets of the peak number densities are typically of the order of a few hundred km from the geometric equator. A near-equatorial radial profile through the orbit of Enceladus shows a sharply peaked distribution at the orbit of the moon. A size distribution averaged over several passes through the orbit of Enceladus is determined which varies as m-2.80. The peak in dust number density at the orbit of Enceladus is consistent with previous optical measurements and strongly supports the suggestion that Enceladus is a primary source for E ring particles.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Cassini RPWS observations of dust in Saturn's E Ring 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 Cassini RPWS observations of dust in Saturn's E Ring, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Cassini RPWS observations of dust in Saturn's E Ring will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1104948