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Paranicas et al. 2005
Paranicas, C., Mitchell, D.G., Livi, S., Krimigis, S.M., Roussos, E., Krupp, N., Woch, J., Lagg, A., Saur, J. and Turner, F.S. (2005). Evidence of Enceladus and Tethys microsignatures. Geophysical Research Letters 32: doi: 10.1029/2005GL024072. issn: 0094-8276.

We present evidence of two icy satellite microsignatures in the Cassini LEMMS data. Just upstream of Enceladus, a deep and narrow decrease in the flux of several MeV electrons is consistent with a recent absorption by that moon. This microsignature is collocated with a deep depletion in the MeV proton flux. The proton feature is much wider than the satellite diameter, suggesting multiple interactions and/or losses to the E Ring and neutral gas. An observed increase in proton flux toward the planet suggests a possible inner magnetospheric source. A decrease in the low energy electron intensity downstream of Tethys is also consistent with a microsignature approximately the size of the satellite that has drifted slightly toward the planet near midnight. Modeling suggests that microsignatures near Tethys' orbit would persist for more than a complete rotation of Saturn and the radial diffusion coefficient is about 10-9 RS2/s.

BACKGROUND DATA FILES

Abstract

Keywords
Planetary Sciences, Solar System Objects, Saturnian satellites, Planetary Sciences, Solar System Objects, Saturn, Magnetospheric Physics, Planetary magnetospheres (5443, 5737, 6033), Planetary Sciences, Solid Surface Planets, Interactions with particles and fields, Magnetospheric Physics, Energetic particles, precipitating
Journal
Geophysical Research Letters
http://www.agu.org/journals/gl/
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
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