Shot noise from grain and particle impacts in Saturn's ring plane

Journal Article · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983 · Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/GL010i001p00005· OSTI ID:6213293

Aubier, M G; Meyer-Vernet, N; Petersen, B M

The ring plane event detected by the Voyager 1 and 2 Planetary Radio Astronomy experiment is distinct from Saturn kilometric radiation (SKR) and from Saturn electrostatic discharges (SED). It consists of radio noise recorded only during Saturnian ring plane crossings. Several models are tested. The electrostatic noise on the antennas resulting from the passage of electrons and ions near the antennas (quasi-thermal noise) leads to order of magnitude much lower then the observed values. Shot noise due to electrons and ions collected and/or emitted by the antennas and spacecraft can explain the noise recorded during Saturn Voyager 1 ring plane crossing and partly what is observed in the case of Voyager 2. For this latter event we must introduce the shot noise due to grain impacts. A quantitative approach of this process gives an estimation of the dust size approx.2.3 ..mu..m just outside the G-ring.

• Research Organization: Observatoire de Meudon, 92190 Meudon, France
• OSTI ID: 6213293
• Journal Information: Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 10:1; ISSN GPRLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640107* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Planetary Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COLLISIONS
DUSTS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
NOISE
PARTICLE SIZE
PLANETS
RADIATIONS
RADIO NOISE
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
RINGS
SATURN PLANET
SIZE
SPACE VEHICLES
VEHICLES
VOYAGER SPACE PROBES