Ions in the Plume of Enceladus and the Role of Grain Interactions

ORAL

Abstract

Data from instruments aboard the Cassini Orbiter indicate plumes of neutral gas and ice from the southern polar region on the Saturn's moon, Enceladus. Flyby missions through the plumes have measured plasma (both electron and ion) conditions and composition in addition to the magnetic field. INMS measurements point to H$_{3}$O$^{+}$ as the dominant ion species through rapid reaction of H$_{2}$O$^{+}$, OH$^{+}$, and O$^{+}$ species with neutral H$_{2}$O. CAPS has reported presence of both positive and negative ions along with measured water cluster ions. We present results from Monte Carlo/test particle simulations to model the ion distribution for different species in the Enceladus plumes. We have incorporated previously proposed models of the plume / atmosphere density and plasma flow around the satellite. Effects of charge exchange, photo-ionization and dust-grain collisional ionizations by the electron and ion distributions are included in the models. We aim to interpret Cassini data by understanding the contributions of each of these effects on the observed ion, neutral and electron fluxes.

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Authors

  • Sriharsha Pothapragada

    University of Kansas

  • Thomas Cravens

    University of Kansas

  • Jatinder Kumar

    Harvard U., Baker University, Bejing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Northrop Grumman, Baltimore, MD, University of Kansas Dept. of Physics \& Astronomy, Kansas State University, Department of Chemistry, College of Materials Science \& Engineering, Sichuan University, China, Illinois State University, Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College of London, Holmbury St. Mary, United Kingdom, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel, Monmouth College, Missouri State University, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Ames Laboratory. Department of Physics and Astronomy, Iowa State University, Siena College, \'Ecole Polytechnique F\'ed\'erale de Lausanne, Switzerland, Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kansas State University, Purdue University, Princeton University, Oklahoma State University, University of Chicago, University of Iowa, University of Kansas, University of Kansas and University of Iowa

  • Jatinder Kumar

    Harvard U., Baker University, Bejing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Northrop Grumman, Baltimore, MD, University of Kansas Dept. of Physics \& Astronomy, Kansas State University, Department of Chemistry, College of Materials Science \& Engineering, Sichuan University, China, Illinois State University, Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College of London, Holmbury St. Mary, United Kingdom, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel, Monmouth College, Missouri State University, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Ames Laboratory. Department of Physics and Astronomy, Iowa State University, Siena College, \'Ecole Polytechnique F\'ed\'erale de Lausanne, Switzerland, Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kansas State University, Purdue University, Princeton University, Oklahoma State University, University of Chicago, University of Iowa, University of Kansas, University of Kansas and University of Iowa

  • Jatinder Kumar

    Harvard U., Baker University, Bejing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Northrop Grumman, Baltimore, MD, University of Kansas Dept. of Physics \& Astronomy, Kansas State University, Department of Chemistry, College of Materials Science \& Engineering, Sichuan University, China, Illinois State University, Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College of London, Holmbury St. Mary, United Kingdom, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel, Monmouth College, Missouri State University, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Ames Laboratory. Department of Physics and Astronomy, Iowa State University, Siena College, \'Ecole Polytechnique F\'ed\'erale de Lausanne, Switzerland, Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kansas State University, Purdue University, Princeton University, Oklahoma State University, University of Chicago, University of Iowa, University of Kansas, University of Kansas and University of Iowa

  • Jatinder Kumar

    Harvard U., Baker University, Bejing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Northrop Grumman, Baltimore, MD, University of Kansas Dept. of Physics \& Astronomy, Kansas State University, Department of Chemistry, College of Materials Science \& Engineering, Sichuan University, China, Illinois State University, Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College of London, Holmbury St. Mary, United Kingdom, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel, Monmouth College, Missouri State University, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Ames Laboratory. Department of Physics and Astronomy, Iowa State University, Siena College, \'Ecole Polytechnique F\'ed\'erale de Lausanne, Switzerland, Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kansas State University, Purdue University, Princeton University, Oklahoma State University, University of Chicago, University of Iowa, University of Kansas, University of Kansas and University of Iowa