General characteristics of hot plasma and energetic particles in the Saturnian magnetosphere: Results from the Voyager spacecraft

Journal Article · Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1983 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA088iA11p08871· OSTI ID:5123741

Krimigis, S M; Carbary, J F; Keath, E P; Armstrong, T P; Lanzerotti, L J; Gloeckler, G

The low energy charged particle (LECP) experiment on the Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft made measurements of the intensity, energy spectra, and spatial distributions of ions (30 keV< or approx. =E< or approx. =150 MeV) and electrons (22 keV< or approx. =E< or approx. =20 MeV) during encounters with the Saturnian magnetosphere in November 1980 and August 1981, respectively. Detailed analysis of the data has revealed the following: (1) Energetic ions are present in the interplanetary medium both upstream (to approx. 200 R/sub S/) and off the dawn bow shock (to approx.400 R/sub S/) of the magnetosphere, with maximum energies approx.100 keV. (2) Low-energy (> or approx. =22 keV) electrons are generally depleted inward of Lapprox.R/sub S/, while low-energy (> or approx. =30 keV) ions are greatly enhanced in the same region. (3) The composition of low-energy ions is most likely domeinated by protons in the outer magnetosphere but is consistent with oxygen in the inner (L< or approx. =9) magnetosphere. (4) The ion spectrum is described well by the kappa distribution with characteristic temperatures kT/sub H/ ranging from approx.15 to approx.55 keV; the hot plasma region is generally confined between the L shells of Tethys and Rhea but exhibits substantial variability. (5) The electron energy spectrum at L< or approx. =10 develops a secondary peak at E> or approx. =200 keV that shifts to higher (approx.1 MeV) energies inside the orbits of Enceladus and Mimas, indicative of electron resonance interactions with the planetary satellites.

• Research Organization: Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University
• OSTI ID: 5123741
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Vol. 88:A11
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
SATURN PLANET
PLANETARY MAGNETOSPHERES
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
ENERGY SPECTRA
HOT PLASMA
ION TEMPERATURE
IONIC COMPOSITION
KEV RANGE
MEV RANGE
SATELLITES
VOYAGER SPACE PROBES
ATMOSPHERES
ENERGY RANGE
PLANETARY ATMOSPHERES
PLANETS
PLASMA
SPACE VEHICLES
SPECTRA
VEHICLES
640107* - Astrophysics &amp; Cosmology- Planetary Phenomena