The dust halo of Saturns largest icy moon, Rhea.
Jones, G H ; Roussos, E ; Krupp, N ; et al. ; - ASI Sponsor
Mar - 2008
ISSN : 1095-9203 ;
journal : Science (New York, N.Y.)

Issue : 5868
type: Article Journal

Abstract
Saturns moon Rhea had been considered massive enough to retain a thin, externally generated atmosphere capable of locally affecting Saturns magnetosphere. The Cassini spacecrafts in situ observations reveal that energetic electrons are depleted in the moons vicinity. The absence of a substantial exosphere implies that Rheas magnetospheric interaction region, rather than being exclusively induced by sputtered gas and its products, likely contains solid material that can absorb magnetospheric particles. Combined observations from several instruments suggest that this material is in the form of grains and boulders up to several decimetres in size and orbits Rhea as an equatorial debris disk. Within this disk may reside denser, discrete rings or arcs of material.

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