HR: 11:00h
AN: P52A-03 [Abstracts]
TI: Plasma Composition Near Enceladus
AU: * Goldstein, R
EM: rgoldstein@swri.edu
AF: Southwest Research Institute, 6223 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78238
United States
AU: Berthelier, J
EM: jean-jacques.berthelier@cetp.ipsl.fr
AF: CETP/IPSL/CNRS, 4 Ave. Neptune, St. Maur, 94100
France
AU: Bouhram, M
EM: mehdi.bouhram@cetp.ipsl.fr
AF: CETP/IPSL/CNRS, 4 Ave. Neptune, St. Maur, 94100
France
AU: Coates, A J
EM: ajc@mssl.ucl.ac.uk
AF: Mullard Space Science Laboratory, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6NT
United Kingdom
AU: Crary, F J
EM: fcrary@swri.edu
AF: Southwest Research Institute, 6223 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78238
United States
AU: Eviatar, A
EM: arkee1@daphne.tau.ac.il
AF: Tel Aviv University, Dept. of Geophysics and Planetary Science, Ramat Aviv, 69978
Israel
AU: Huebner, W F
EM: whuebner@swri.edu
AF: Southwest Research Institute, 6223 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78238
United States
AU: Shapirio, M
EM: Mark.D.Shappirio@nasa.gov
AF: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, MC692, Greenbelt, MD 20771
United States
AU: Smith, H T
EM: hts4f@cms.mail.virginia.edu
AF: The University of Virginia, Thornton Hall, Charlottesville, VA 22904
United States
AU: Young, D T
EM: dyoung@swri.edu
AF: Southwest Research Institute, 6223 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78238
United States
AB:
During the first year of its orbital tour of Saturn the Cassini spacecraft has performed two close flybys of the icy
satellite Enceladus: on March 9, 2005 (504 km closest approach altitude at 6.6 km/s) and July 14, 2005 (172 km altitude at
8.2 km/s). The Cassini Plasma Spectrometer (CAPS) on board the spacecraft measured plasma ion composition (among other
things) in the vicinity of Enceladus during these flybys. The primary constituents observed are the so-called water group
ions, presumably the result of various electron impact, ion-molecule and solar UV induced reactions with water vapor evolved
from icy surfaces. We also identify O2+, C+, and N+. We will discuss some of the probable chemical
processes involved and hazard some thoughts about the source of the water vapor. We will also discuss how this watery
environment is more dissimilar than similar to a cometary coma.
DE: 5704 Atmospheres (0343, 1060)
DE: 5737 Magnetospheres (2756)
DE: 6020 Ices
DE: 6280 Saturnian satellites
SC: Planetary Sciences [P]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005