The energetic charged particle absorption signature of Mimas. Progress report
Data are presented for a one-minute dip in electron intensity that was observed coherently by four different detectors at 1546:51 ERT on DOY 244/1979 as Pioneer 11 crossed the orbit of Mimas inbound during its encounter with the Saturn system. By a detailed analysis, we show that this absorption microsignature in electron intensity is plausibly attributable to the particle sweeping effect of Mimas; the radial width of the signature is caused primarily by energy dispersion in the longitudinal drift rate of electrons and not by radial diffusion; the spectrum of trapped electrons at Mimas is nearly monoenergetic, centered at kinetic energy E = 1.59 MeV with a spread delta E approx. 0.1 MeV; this narrow spectrum, which is unique in magnetospheric physics, is caused by the band-pass filtering action of the successive inner satellites, most importantly Enceladus, on an inward diffusing population of electrons; and the radial diffusion coefficient D of electrons E = 1.0 MeV is 1.0 x 10 to the -10 power R(subs)-squared at L = 4 and and probably in the range 37 to 8.3 10 to the -12 power R(subs)-squared at L = 3.
- Research Organization:
- Iowa Univ., Iowa City (USA). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
- OSTI ID:
- 6635870
- Report Number(s):
- AD-A-087941
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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