Wet model of Saturn's ionosphere: water from the rings

Technical Report · Fri Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1984

OSTI ID:6048265

Connerney, J E.P.; Waite, J H

Current theoretical models of Saturn's ionosphere are difficult to reconcile with the ionospheric electron density profiles obtained from the Pioneer and Voyager radio occultation observations and the large diurnal variation of maximum ionospheric electron density deduced from studies of Saturn lightning discharges. A model of Saturn's ionosphere is proposed in which water plays a major role as a minor constituent present by virtue of downward diffusion from an external source. This model of the Saturn ionosphere is a classical F2 type layer resulting from the photodissociative production of H(+) from H2 and rapid chemical loss due to a series of charge exchange reactions with water. A planet-wide influx of about 4x10 to the 7th power molecules/sec/sq cm of water from the rings is consistent with the observed ionospheric electron densities and estimates of influx due to micrometeoride bombardment of the rings. An enhanced influx of water occurs at latitudes (-38 deg, +44 deg) magnetically connected to the inner edge of Saturn's B ring which results from an electromagnetic erosion process contributing substantially to the (local) upper atmosphere water content. Present day influx at these latitudes is possibly as large as 2x10 to the 9th power molecules/sec/sq cm.

• Research Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Greenbelt, MD (USA). Goddard Space Flight Center
• OSTI ID: 6048265
• Report Number(s): N-84-35262; NASA-TM-86144; REPT-695
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640107* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Planetary Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ASTRONOMY
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
ELECTRON DENSITY
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IONIZATION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOTOIONIZATION
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
PLANETS
RADIOASTRONOMY
RINGS
SATURN PLANET
WATER