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The Thermal Evolution and Internal Structure of Saturn's Mid-Sized Icy Satellites

Sotin, Christophe; McKinnon, William B.; Matson, Dennis L. +2 more

The Cassini-Huygens mission is returning new geophysical data for the midsize, icy satellites of Saturn (i.e., satellites with radii between 100 and 1,000 km). These data have enabled a new generation of geophysical model studies for Phoebe, Iapetus, Rhea, Mimas, Tethys, Dione, as well as Enceladus (which is addressed in a separate chapter in this…

The Dynamics of Saturn's Magnetosphere

Mitchell, D. G.; Cowley, S. W. H.; Carbary, J. F. +2 more

The dynamics of Saturn's magnetosphere differs considerably from that at the Earth. Saturn's magnetosphere responds to both external and internal drivers. The solar wind ram pressure, rather than the solar wind speed and interplanetary field orientation, provides the primary external driver at Saturn, while the planet's rotation provides the main …

Upper Atmosphere and Ionosphere of Saturn

Moses, Julianne I.; Moore, Luke; Miller, Steve +5 more

This chapter summarizes our current understanding of the upper atmosphere and ionosphere of Saturn. We summarize the available observations and the various relevant models associated with these regions. We describe what is currently known, outline any controversies and indicate how future observations can help in advancing our understanding of the…

Saturn's Exploration Beyond Cassini-Huygens

Dougherty, Michele K.; Guillot, Tristan; Read, Peter +2 more

For its beautiful rings, active atmosphere and mysterious magnetic field, Saturn is a fascinating planet. It also holds some of the keys to understanding the formation of our Solar System and the evolution of giant planets in general. While the exploration by the Cassini-Huygens mission has led to great advances in our understanding of the planet …

The Cassini Extended Mission

Seal, David A.; Buffington, Brent B.

Based on the overwhelming success of the Cassini/Huygens 4-year tour of Saturn from July 2004 to June 2008, NASA Headquarters approved at least two years of extended mission for continued study of the target-rich Saturnian system. After a rigorous phase of science objective definition and trajectory design and analysis, the Cassini project initiat…