Energetic Particles In The Vicinity Of Saturn: Cassini Mimi/Lemms Observations
Abstract
The Cassini-Huygens mission, launched in 1997, finally reached Saturn in July 2004. One of the science goals of the mission is to investigate the magnetosphere of Saturn, the interaction of the magnetospheric plasma and energetic particle population with the rings, moons and the solar wind. The Low Energy Magnetospheric Measurement System LEMMS (one out of three sensors of the Magnetospheric Imaging Instrument MIMI onboard Cassini) is able to measure low- and high-energy electrons and ions separately in the energy range between 0.015 to 5 MeV for electrons and 0.03 to about 160 MeV for ions. The instrument is mounted on a programmable scan platform allowing measurements from all direction within the scan plane which most of the time will be perpendicular to the ecliptic. This configuration will allow a good coverage in pitch angles. We present details of the first results in the vicinity of Saturn in and outside of the Kronian magnetosphere during the approach phase and insertion phase until July 2004. We will discuss these results by comparing them with early Pioneer and Voyager measurements.
- Publication:
-
35th COSPAR Scientific Assembly
- Pub Date:
- 2004
- Bibcode:
- 2004cosp...35.2723K