Ion Composition of the Thermal Plasma in the F-Ring Region of Saturn
Abstract
In the final phase of the Cassini mission in 2016-2017, the spacecraft will first move to orbits with periapse outside the F-ring and then to orbits grazing the upper atmosphere of Saturn. These trajectories will provide the unique opportunity to sample the structures and composition of Saturn's ionosphere but also those of the main rings. From an assessment of the neutral gas and plasma environment of the rings, we investigate the formation of molecular ions and nano-grains in the areas to be probed by Cassini during its F-ring and Proximal orbits
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2016
- Bibcode:
- 2016AGUFMSM43D..04I
- Keywords:
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- 2704 Auroral phenomena;
- MAGNETOSPHERIC PHYSICSDE: 2731 Magnetosphere: outer;
- MAGNETOSPHERIC PHYSICSDE: 2756 Planetary magnetospheres;
- MAGNETOSPHERIC PHYSICSDE: 6222 Ganymede;
- PLANETARY SCIENCES: SOLAR SYSTEM OBJECTS