Detection of dusty plasma near the E-ring of Saturn

• We present several independent in-situ measurements, which provide evidence that charged dust in the E-ring interacts collectively with the dense surrounding plasma disk of Saturn, i.e., form a system of dust-plasma interaction. The results are based on data sampled by the Radio and Plasma Wave Science (RPWS) investigation onboard Cassini, which allows for interferometry of plasma density inhomogeneities (delta n/n) with two antenna elements and a Langmuir probe sensor. The interferometer experiment detects two ion populations: one co-rotating with the planetary magnetic field and another moving with near Keplerian speed around Saturn. The full range of RPWS measurements indicates that the Keplerian population consists of colder ions (T-i

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Astronomi, astrofysik och kosmologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Saturn Magnetosphere

E-ring

Cassini

Dust-plasma interaction

Electrodynamic coupling

Plasma physics

langmuir probe

space plasmas

magnetosphere

wave

particles

satellite

emission

dynamics

velocity

system

Astronomy and astrophysics

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)