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Velocity shear Kelvin-Helmholtz instability with inhomogeneous DC electric field in the magnetosphere of Saturn
Kandpal, Praveen; Kaur, Rajbir; Pandey, R. S.
In this paper parallel flow velocity shear Kelvin-Helmholtz instability has been studied in two different extended regions of the inner magnetosphere of Saturn. The method of the characteristic solution and kinetic approach has been used in the mathematical calculation of dispersion relation and growth rate of K-H waves. Effect of magnetic field (…
Dust clouds and plasmoids in Saturn's magnetosphere as seen with four Cassini instruments
Khalisi, Emil
We revisit the evidence for a ;dust cloud; observed by the Cassini spacecraft at Saturn in 2006. The data of four instruments are simultaneously compared to interpret the signatures of a coherent swarm of dust that would have remained near the equatorial plane for as long as six weeks. The conspicuous pattern, as seen in the dust counters of the C…
Counter data of the Cosmic Dust Analyzer aboard the Cassini spacecraft and possible “dust clouds” at Saturn
Grün, Eberhard; Srama, Ralf; Khalisi, Emil
We present the impact rates of dust particles recorded by the Cosmic Dust Analyzer (CDA) aboard the Cassini spacecraft. The “dust counters” evaluate the quality of an impact and give rise to the apparent density of dust particles in space.
The raw data is pre-selected and refined to a new structure that serves to a better investigation of den…Unusually strong magnetic fields in Titan's ionosphere: T42 case study
Coates, A. J.; Russell, C. T.; Wei, H. Y. +7 more
Observations of unusually large magnetic fields in the ionosphere indicate periods of maximum stress on Titan's ionosphere and potentially of the strongest loss rates of ionospheric plasma. During Titan flyby T42, the observed magnetic field attained a maximum value of 37 nT between an altitude of 1200 and 1600 km, about 20 nT stronger than on any…
Background and pickup ion velocity distribution dynamics in Titan's plasma environment: 3D hybrid simulation and comparison with CAPS T9 observations
Hartle, R. E.; Sittler, E. C.; Cooper, J. F. +2 more
In this report we discuss the ion velocity distribution dynamics from the 3D hybrid simulation. In our model the background, pickup, and ionospheric ions are considered as a particles, whereas the electrons are described as a fluid. Inhomogeneous photoionization, electron-impact ionization and charge exchange are included in our model. We also tak…
Energetic neutral atom (ENA) and charged particle periodicities in Saturn’s magnetosphere
Paranicas, C.; Krimigis, Stamatios M.; Mitchell, Donald G. +2 more
The Magnetospheric Imaging Instrument (MIMI) on the Cassini spacecraft has observed energetic neutral atoms (ENA) and charged particles at Saturn from mid-2004 to the present. The particles often but not always reveal striking periodic behavior that seems to depend on the type of particle and spacecraft location. When subjected to a Lomb periodogr…
Saturn kilometric radiation as a monitor for the solar wind?
Dougherty, M. K.; Kurth, W. S.; McComas, D. J. +9 more
Since the Voyager mission it is known that Saturn Kilometric Radiation (SKR) is strongly influenced by external forces, i.e., the solar wind and in particular the solar wind ram pressure. Recent studies using Cassini data essentially confirmed these findings for particular periods during the first Cassini orbit of Saturn. The data coverage of SKR …
Exospheric heating by pickup ions at Titan
Ip, W. -H.; Kopp, A.; Tseng, W. -L.
Titan has a very extensive atmosphere and exosphere which interact strongly with the corotating magnetospheric plasma. Some of the new pickup ions created in the vicinity of the exosphere will re-impact the upper atmosphere causing additional energy input. Previous investigations of the atmospheric collisional interaction of the pickup ions have g…
Cassini observations of the Interplanetary Medium Upstream of Saturn and their relation to the Hubble Space Telescope aurora data
Dougherty, M. K.; Jackman, C. M.; Clarke, J. T. +3 more
We present Cassini magnetometer and plasma data for the January 2004 ‘solar wind campaign’ in which the particles and fields instruments monitored the solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field, while the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) simultaneously observed the UV aurora in Saturn’s southern ionosphere. Clear structuring is evident in the data w…
Inferring the composition of the liquid surface on Titan at the Huygens probe landing site from Surface Science Package measurements
Lorenz, R. D.; Hagermann, A.; Leese, M. R. +5 more
With Huygens’ descent into Titan’s atmosphere drawing nearer, the composition and state of Titan’s surface remained largely unknown. The idea of a global ocean on Titan has become less popular over the last decade, though the possibility of lakes and seas has remained, and recently [Campbell, D.B., Black, G.J., Carter, L.M., Ostro, S.J. Radar evid…