Cassini dust measurements at Enceladus and implications for the origin of the E ring.
During Cassini's close flyby of Enceladus on 14 July 2005, the High Rate Detector of the Cosmic Dust Analyzer registered micron-sized dust particles enveloping this satellite. The dust impact rate peaked about 1 minute before the closest approach of the spacecraft to the moon. This asymmetric signature is consistent with a locally enhanced dust production in the south polar region of Enceladus. Other Cassini experiments revealed evidence for geophysical activities near Enceladus' south pole: a high surface temperature and a release of water gas. Production or release of dust particles related to these processes may provide the dominant source of Saturn's E ring.
Spahn
Frank
F
Institut für Physik, Universität Potsdam, Am Neuen Palais 10, Haus 19, D-14469 Potsdam, Germany.
Schmidt
Jürgen
J
Albers
Nicole
N
Hörning
Marcel
M
Makuch
Martin
M
Seiss
Martin
M
Kempf
Sascha
S
Srama
Ralf
R
Dikarev
Valeri
V
Helfert
Stefan
S
Moragas-Klostermeyer
Georg
G
Krivov
Alexander V
AV
Sremcevic
Miodrag
M
Tuzzolino
Anthony J
AJ
Economou
Thanasis
T
Grün
Eberhard
E
D001272:Atmosphere; D019443:Cosmic Dust; D005118:Extraterrestrial Environment; D018539:Saturn; D018531:Spacecraft
D019443:Cosmic Dust