HR: 0800h
AN: P11C-0700    [Abstracts]
TI: Modeling the Sources of H2+ and O2+ in Saturn's Magnetosphere
AU: * Elrod, M K
EM: mke9y@virginia.edu
AF: University of Virginia, Wilsdorf Hall, Charlottesville, VA 22902, United States
AU: Smith, H T
EM: htodds@aol.com
AF: JHU/APL, Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD 20723, United States
AU: Johnson, R E
EM: rej@virginia.edu
AF: University of Virginia, Wilsdorf Hall, Charlottesville, VA 22902, United States
AU: Burger, M H
EM: matthew.burger@GSFC.nasa.gov
AF: NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt Rd, Greenbelt, MD 20771, United States
AU: Sittler, E C
EM: Edward.C.Sittler@nasa.gov
AF: NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt Rd, Greenbelt, MD 20771, United States
AB: The main rings, the icy satellites and the ice grains in the tenuous rings are all sources of neutral H2 and O2 in Saturn's magnetosphere due to the decomposition of ice (e.g., Johnson et al. 2005, 2006a) and Titan is a source of H2 via atmospheric escape (Yelle et al. 2006). These molecules are eventually ionized contributing the Saturn's trapped plasma. In addition, ion-neutral reactions in the narrow Enceladus neutral torus and the HST torus (Johnson et al. 2006b) can produce molecular hydrogen and oxygen ions and neutrals. Here we calculate the spatial distribution of neutrals ejected from satellites and rings and use these to estimate source rates for H2+ and O2+ for Saturn's magnetosphere. Johnson et al. J. Chem Phys. 123, 184715, 2005a Johnson et al. Icarus 180,393, 2006a Johnson et al. ApJ 644, L137, 2006b Yelle et al. Icarus 182, 567, 2006
DE: 5443 Magnetospheres (2756)
DE: 6020 Ices
DE: 6060 Radiation and chemistry
SC: Planetary Sciences [P]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting