Cassini Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer: Enceladus Plume Composition and Structure
Goddard Space Flight Center · University of Kansas · +3 more institutions
Abstract
The Cassini spacecraft passed within 168.2 kilometers of the surface above the southern hemisphere at 19:55:22 universal time coordinated on 14 July 2005 during its closest approach to Enceladus. Before and after this time, a substantial atmospheric plume and coma were observed, detectable in the Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS) data set out to a distance of over 4000 kilometers from Enceladus. INMS data indicate that the atmospheric plume and coma are dominated by water, with significant amounts of carbon dioxide, an unidentified species with a mass-to-charge ratio of 28 daltons (either carbon monoxide or molecular nitrogen), and methane. Trace quantities (
Citation impact
- FWCI
- 30.01
- Percentile
- 100%
- References
- 18
Authors
14- JHJ. H. WaiteCorresponding
Goddard Space Flight Center, University of Kansas, National Central University, University of Michigan, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
- MRM. R. Combi
Goddard Space Flight Center, University of Kansas, National Central University, University of Michigan, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
- WIW.-H. Ip
Goddard Space Flight Center, University of Kansas, National Central University, University of Michigan, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
- TET. E. Cravens
Goddard Space Flight Center, University of Kansas, National Central University, University of Michigan, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
- RLR. L. McNutt
Goddard Space Flight Center, University of Kansas, National Central University, University of Michigan, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Topics & keywords
- Enceladus
- Plume
- Saturn
- Atmospheric sciences
- Mass spectrometry
- Ion
- Icy moon
- Methane
- Life below water