NANOGRAIN DENSITY OUTSIDE SATURN'S A RING

Robert E. Johnson; Wei Lin Tseng; M. K. Elrod; A. M. Persoon

doi:10.3847/2041-8213/834/1/L6

NANOGRAIN DENSITY OUTSIDE SATURN'S A RING

Robert E. Johnson, Wei Lin Tseng, M. K. Elrod, A. M. Persoon

Department of Earth Sciences (Include Institute of Marine Environmental Science and Technology)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The observed disparity between the radial dependence of the ion and electron densities measured by the Cassini plasma (CAPS) and radio (RPWS) science instruments are used to show that the region between the outer edge of Saturn's main rings and its tenuous G ring is permeated with small charged grains (nanograins). These grains emanate from the edge of the A ring and from the tenuous F and G rings. This is a region of Saturn's magnetosphere that is relatively unexplored, but will be a focus of Cassini's F ring orbits prior to the end of mission in 2017 September. Confirmation of the grain densities predicted here will enhance our ability to describe the formation and destruction of material in this important region of Saturn's magnetosphere.

Original language	English
Article number	L6
Journal	Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume	834
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/834/1/L6
Publication status	Published - 2017 Jan 1

Keywords

planets and satellites: individual (Saturn)
planets and satellites: rings

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.3847/2041-8213/834/1/L6

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title = "NANOGRAIN DENSITY OUTSIDE SATURN'S A RING",

abstract = "The observed disparity between the radial dependence of the ion and electron densities measured by the Cassini plasma (CAPS) and radio (RPWS) science instruments are used to show that the region between the outer edge of Saturn's main rings and its tenuous G ring is permeated with small charged grains (nanograins). These grains emanate from the edge of the A ring and from the tenuous F and G rings. This is a region of Saturn's magnetosphere that is relatively unexplored, but will be a focus of Cassini's F ring orbits prior to the end of mission in 2017 September. Confirmation of the grain densities predicted here will enhance our ability to describe the formation and destruction of material in this important region of Saturn's magnetosphere.",

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author = "Johnson, {Robert E.} and Tseng, {Wei Lin} and Elrod, {M. K.} and Persoon, {A. M.}",

note = "Funding Information: The authors thank the referee for helpful comments. R.E.J. acknowledges support from NASA via the Cassini mission through SwRI and JPL. The Cassini RPWS data are in the Planetary Data System. W.-L.T. acknowledges support from MOST104-2112-M-003-006 -MY2 in Taiwan (R.O.C.). A.M.P. acknowledges support by NASA through contract 1415150 with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2017. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved..",

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AU - Johnson, Robert E.

AU - Tseng, Wei Lin

AU - Elrod, M. K.

AU - Persoon, A. M.

N1 - Funding Information: The authors thank the referee for helpful comments. R.E.J. acknowledges support from NASA via the Cassini mission through SwRI and JPL. The Cassini RPWS data are in the Planetary Data System. W.-L.T. acknowledges support from MOST104-2112-M-003-006 -MY2 in Taiwan (R.O.C.). A.M.P. acknowledges support by NASA through contract 1415150 with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Publisher Copyright: © 2017. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved..

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N2 - The observed disparity between the radial dependence of the ion and electron densities measured by the Cassini plasma (CAPS) and radio (RPWS) science instruments are used to show that the region between the outer edge of Saturn's main rings and its tenuous G ring is permeated with small charged grains (nanograins). These grains emanate from the edge of the A ring and from the tenuous F and G rings. This is a region of Saturn's magnetosphere that is relatively unexplored, but will be a focus of Cassini's F ring orbits prior to the end of mission in 2017 September. Confirmation of the grain densities predicted here will enhance our ability to describe the formation and destruction of material in this important region of Saturn's magnetosphere.

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NANOGRAIN DENSITY OUTSIDE SATURN'S A RING

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Keywords

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