Multifluid MHD simulation of Saturn's magnetosphere: Dynamics of mass- and momentum-loading, and seasonal variation of the plasma sheet

Saturn's magnetosphere is driven externally, by the solar wind, and internally, by the planet's strong magnetic field, rapid rotation rate, and the addition of new plasma created from Saturn's neutral cloud. Externally, the alignment of the rotational and magnetic dipole axes, combined with Saturn's substantial inclination to its plane of orbit result in substantial curvature of the plasma sheet during solstice. Internally, new water group ions are produced in the inner regions of the magnetosphere from photoionization and electron-impact ionization of the water vapor and OH cloud sourced from Enceladus and other icy bodies in Saturn's planetary system. In addition to this, charge-exchange collisions between the relatively fast-moving water group ions and the slower neutrals results in a net loss of momentum from the plasma. In order to study these phenomena, we have made significant modifications to the Saturn multifluid model. This model has been previously used to investigate the external triggering of plasmoids and the interchange process using a fixed internal source rate. In order to improve the fidelity of the model, we have incorporated a physical source of mass- and momentum-loading by including an empirical representation of Saturn's neutral cloud and modifying the multifluid MHD equations to include mass- and momentum-loading terms. Collision cross-sections between ions, electrons, and neutrals are calculated as functions of closure velocity and energy at each grid point and time step, enabling us to simulate the spatially and temporally varying plasma-neutral interactions. In addition to this, by altering the angle of incidence of the solar wind relative to Saturn's rotational axis and applying a realistic latitudinally- and seasonally-varying ionospheric conductivity, we are also able to study seasonal effects on Saturn's magnetosphere. We use the updated multifluid simulation to investigate the dynamics of Saturn's magnetosphere, focusing specifically on the production of new plasma, the resulting radial outflow, and corotation lag profiles. The simulation has produced well-defined interchange fingers, regions of cold inner-magnetosphere plasma that lag corotation and move radially outwards, which are balanced by the inward flow of hot tenuous plasma from the outer magnetosphere. We quantify the rate of interchange finger production, and from these calculate the net outward rate of plasma flow. We then compare simulation output with observational data from the Cassini spacecraft to validate the new physics that we have incorporated. In addition to internal mass production and corotation, we also investigate external driver effects, in particular the seasonal variation of curvature of the plasma sheet.