HR: 11:50h
AN: P52A-06    [Abstracts]
TI: The Polar Wind as a Mass Source for Saturn's Magnetosphere
AU: * Glocer, A
EM: aglocer@umich.edu
AF: University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2143 United States
AU: Gombosi, T
EM: tamas@umich.edu
AF: University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2143 United States
AU: Toth, G
EM: gtoth@umich.edu
AF: University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2143 United States
AU: Hansen, K
EM: kenhan@umich.edu
AF: University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2143 United States
AU: Ridley, A
EM: ridley@umich.edu
AF: University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2143 United States
AB: Characterizing the relative importance of the various mass sources is crucial to understanding Saturn's magnetosphere. Most research in this area focuses on the addition of mass from the icy satellites and rings. Comparatively little attention has been paid to the ionospheric source. Our study addresses this issue by using multi-fluid numerical simulations of Saturn's polar wind to determine the magnitude of the contribution. We introduce a model capable of calculating the polar wind at Earth and Saturn, solving the gyrotropic transport equations. The polar wind at Saturn is calculated from below the peak ionospheric density to an altitude of one Saturn radius, giving fluxes for H₃⁺, H⁺, and electrons. Similarly, at Earth the calculation ranges from 200 km to approximately one Earth radius, providing fluxes for O⁺, H⁺, and He⁺. We calculate source rates for various atmospheric profiles, and compare the results with those calculated from other models and measurements where appropriate.
DE: 2447 Modeling and forecasting
DE: 2459 Planetary ionospheres (5435, 5729, 6026)
DE: 2475 Polar cap ionosphere
DE: 2481 Topside ionosphere
DE: 2736 Magnetosphere/ionosphere interactions (2431)
SC: Planetary Sciences [P]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005