A series of numerical simulations of the dynamo process operating inside gas giant planets has been performed. We use an anelastic, fully nonlinear, three-dimensional, benchmarked MHD code to evolve the flow, entropy and magnetic field. Our models take into account the varying electrical conductivity, high in the ionised metallic hydrogen region, low in the molecular outer region. Our suite of ...

[1] After a decade of observations, evidence for X-ray auroral emission from Saturn has yet to be found. By analogy with processes known to take place on Jupiter, Saturnian X-ray aurorae may be expected to be powered by charge exchange (CX) between energetic ions and the planet’s atmospheric neutrals; if the ions are of solar origin, the emission should be brightest during episodes of enhanced ...

[1] The long-term statistical behavior of the large-scale structure of Saturn’s magnetosphere has been investigated. Established statistical techniques for Jupiter have been applied to the kronian system, employing Cassini magnetometer data and a new empirical shape model of the magnetopause based on these data. The resulting distribution of standoff distance RMP for Saturn, covering a time int...

The ring system of Saturn is a complex interaction between numerous particles, moons, and Saturn. A program was created to simulate the different aspects of the ring system and to study the effects of moons on the orbiting particles. Simply by considering both the force of gravity on each particle and collisions between particles, gaps formed at eight different resonant positions. I also studie...

We use the frequency map analysis method to identify for Trojan orbits of Saturn the regions in the proper orbital element phase space characterized by higher stability. We find that Trojan orbits with proper eccentricity around 0.05, libration amplitude of about 80 , and inclination lower than 15 show a slow diffusion in the proper frequency of the longitude of perihelion ~ !, which indicates ...

We describe planetary science observations made with the Goddard Space Flight Center, acoustooptic tunable filter (AOTF) camera. This camera is a newly developed RF-tunable spectrophotometric imager with a spectral bandwidth of 25 cm and a tuning range from0.5 to 1.0 micron. The observations that we report here were made at the Starfire Optical Range 1.5-meter laser-beacon adaptive optics teles...

This chapter summarizes our current understanding of the ionosphere of Saturn. We give an overview of Saturn ionospheric science from the Voyager era to the present, with a focus on the wealth of new data and discoveries enabled by Cassini, including a massive increase in the number of electron density altitude profiles. We discuss recent ground-based detections of the effect of “ring rain” on ...

New-particle formation events in a continental boundary layer: First results from the SATURN experiment F. Stratmann, H. Siebert, G. Spindler, B. Wehner, D. Althausen, J. Heintzenberg, O. Hellmuth, R. Rinke, U. Schmieder, C. Seidel, T. Tuch, U. Uhrner, A. Wiedensohler, U. Wandinger, M. Wendisch, D. Schell, and A. Stohl Institute for Tropospheric Research, Leipzig, Germany enviscope GmbH, Frankf...

Goertz and Morfill (1983) propose that spokes on Saturn’s rings form under radially moving plasma clouds produced by meteoroid impacts. We demonstrate that the speed at which a plasma cloud can move relative to the ring material is bounded from above by the difference between the Keplerian and corotation velocities. The radial orientation of new spokes requires radial speeds that are at least a...

The UCF driving simulator was designed to be reconfigurable so that either a commercial truck cab or entire passenger vehicle (Saturn with engine and transmission removed) can be mounted on a motion platform. Several vehicle dynamics models are available for various truck/trailer combinations as well as different passenger vehicles. A study was performed to assess whether there are significant ...