Source- https://www.wallpaperflare.com/cassini-inside-rings-saturn-the-mid-air-flying-nature-wallpaper-pkwmj
By Naveen Kumar dwivedi
Wellwellwell I know title is quite deadly but be a true lover of space and science, have an enlightening and acknowledging reading. I assure you will get as new things in many possible ways. So, there wasn’t any discussion about saturn’s ring till Galileo Galilei in 1610.
Galileo Galilei , He was the first to observe the rings of Saturn in 1610 using his telescope, but was unable to identify them as such. He wrote to the Duke of Tuscany that “the planet saturn is not alone, but is composed of three, which almost touch one another and never move nor change with respect to one another.”
After this many researchers , scholars , philosophers gave different theories and principles about it. So what, what’s so special about it, yes it is special because recently In-Situ Measurements Of Saturn S’ Topside Ionosphere is in lime light.
Let’s understand what it is?
Before that letsdo some home work!
Cassini’s Grand Finale orbits provided for the first time in-situ measurements of Saturn’s topside ionosphere. We present the Pedersen and Hall conductivities of the top near-equatorial dayside ionosphere, derived from the in-situ measurements by the Cassini Radio and Wave Plasma Science Langmuir Probe, the Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer and the fluxgate magnetometer. The Pedersen and Hall conductivities are constrained to at least 10−5–10−4 S/m at (or close to) the ionospheric peak, a factor 10–100 higher than estimated previously. We show that this is due to the presence of dusty plasma in the near-equatorial ionosphere. We also show the conductive ionospheric region to be extensive, with thickness of 300–800 km. Furthermore, our results suggest a temporal variation (decrease) of the plasma densities, mean ion masses and consequently the conductivities from orbit 288 to 292.
Source- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-64787-7
In-Situ Measurement? What does this mean?
In the atmospheric sciences, In Situ refers to obtained through direct contact with the respective subject, such as a radiosonde measuring a parcel of air or an anemometer measuring wind, as opposed to remote sensing such as weather radar or satellites.
Lets understand Saturn’S Topside Ionosphere!
A planet’s ionosphere is an ionized upper layer of its atmosphere. If the host planet has a magnetosphere, the ionosphere serves as a coupling between the atmosphere and magnetosphere, transferring energy and momentum.Traditionally, an ionosphere is thought to consist only of positive ions and electrons. In Saturn’s case, however,ring particles (dust grains) falling in from the rings absorb the electrons (depleting their densities by more than80%) and create a layer around the equator with enhanced ion densities. Tis layer plays an important role inelectrodynamics between Saturn’s ionosphere and magnetosphere – the interhemisphericfeld-aligned currentsdetected inside the gas giant’s rings must close by means of ionospheric currents. Tese currents depend on thedimensions of the conductive (dynamo) region and the electrical conductivity of Saturn’s ionosphere.
Cassini S’ Grand Finale Orbits?
It is related to Cassini Solstice Mission (2010–2017).The schedule included an additional 155 orbits, with 54 flybys of Titan, 11 of Enceladus, 2 of Rhea, and 3 of Dione. One of the flybys of Titan dipped below the ionosphere.Cassini was the fourth space probe to visit Saturn and the first to enter its orbit. … Launched aboard a Titan IVB/Centaur on October 15, 1997, Cassini was active in space for nearly 20 years, with 13 years spent orbiting Saturn and studying the planet and its system after entering orbit on July 1, 2004.The Cassini space probe was deliberately disposed of via a controlled fall into Saturn’s atmosphere on September 15, 2017, ending its nearly two-decade-long mission. This method was chosen to prevent biological contamination of any of the moons of Saturn now thought to offer potentially habitable environments.
How long was Cassini supposed to last?
The Cassini mission was meant to last three years in orbit around Saturn, and instead the spacecraft spent 13 years, 76 days, orbiting Saturn.
Why did NASA destroy Cassini?
The mission ended on September 15, 2017, when Cassini’s trajectory took it into Saturn’s upper atmosphere and it burned up in order to prevent any risk of contaminating Saturn’s moons, which might have offered habitable environments to stowaway terrestrial microbes on the spacecraft.
Was the Cassini mission successful?
The mission has been successful beyond expectations – NASA’s Planetary Science Division Director, Jim Green, described Cassini-Huygens as a “mission of firsts”, that has revolutionized human understanding of the Saturn system, including its moons and rings, and our understanding of where life might be found in the Saturn.
Okay finally, why all these? Just to know that life at Saturn well its all about survival, and hope and science is all we got. Space is limitless, quite amazing. To know how vast it is? Stay connected to us! SRI
Fun fact- Saturn is the flattest planet. Saturn orbits the Sun once every 29.4 Earth years.