Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

The Interaction of the Atmosphere of Enceladus with Saturn's Plasma

2006; American Association for the Advancement of Science; Volume: 311; Issue: 5766 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1126/science.1121061

1095-9203

R. L. Tokar, R. E. Johnson, T. W. Hill, D. H. Pontius, W. S. Kŭrth, F. J. Crary, D. T. Young, M. F. Thomsen, D. B. Reisenfeld, A. J. Coates, G. R. Lewis, E. C. Sittler, D. A. Gurnett,

Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies

During the 14 July 2005 encounter of Cassini with Enceladus, the Cassini Plasma Spectrometer measured strong deflections in the corotating ion flow, commencing at least 27 Enceladus radii (27 x 252.1 kilometers) from Enceladus. The Cassini Radio and Plasma Wave Science instrument inferred little plasma density increase near Enceladus. These data are consistent with ion formation via charge exchange and pickup by Saturn's magnetic field. The charge exchange occurs between neutrals in the Enceladus atmosphere and corotating ions in Saturn's inner magnetosphere. Pickup ions are observed near Enceladus, and a total mass loading rate of about 100 kilograms per second (3 x 10(27) H(2)O molecules per second) is inferred.