NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Collections About News Help Login
Back to Results
Magnetosphere of SaturnModels of the Saturnian magnetosphere based on the application of magnetospheric scaling relations to a spin-aligned planetary magnetic dipole, that produces a surface equatorial field strength in the range 0.5 to 2 gauss, exhibit the following properties: (1) The orbit of Titan lies inside of the magnetosphere essentially all of the time, even when variations in the size of the magnetosphere resulting from solar wind pressure changes are taken into account; (2) the Brice-type planetary plasmasphere reaches a peak density of about 10 protons cm/3 at L approximately 7 (L = planetocentric distance in units of planetary radii); (3) Saturn's rings have a profound effect on the energetic particle population and the plasmaspheres derived from interstellar neutrals and Titan's torus; (4) the model calculation suggests that the Titan-derived plasmasphere may be self-amplifying with a feed-back factor greater than unity, which implies the possibility of a non-linearly saturated, highly inflated Saturnian magnetosphere; and (5) this same source can have important eroding effects on the outer edge of the rings determined by Brown-Lauzerotti sputtering rates.
Document ID
19790008603
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Siscoe, G. L. (California Univ. Los Angeles, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 10, 2013
Publication Date
December 1, 1978
Publication Information
Publication: JPL The Saturn System
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Exploration
Accession Number
79N16774
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

Related Records

IDRelationTitle19790008587Collected WorksThe Saturn System
No Preview Available