Particle-in-cell simulation of spacecraft/plasma interactions in the vicinity of Enceladus

Abstract

The Cassini Langmuir Probe of the Radio and Plasma Wave Science instrument has measured an electron depletion in a region extending at least 50 satellite radii away from Saturn’s small but geologically active icy moon Enceladus. The maximal imbalance between the electron and ion densities was observed in the dust loaded plume and to date is attributed to the electron attachment to abundant dust grains. We report the results from a three dimensional particle-in-cell simulation of a plasma structure formed around a charged spacecraft in the conditions relevant inside the Enceladus torus and in the moon’s plume. In addition to the plasma population the plume simulation includes singly charged nanograins detected by the Cassini Plasma Spectrometer. The accompanied spacecraft plasma perturbations can significantly modify an ambient plasma at the Cassini Langmuir probe positions and thus impact the plasma measurements. Our modeling reveals a domination of water group ions over the electron population due to the formation of a conventional plasma sheath at the ram-oriented probe positions in the Enceladus torus and in the plume regions with low dust density (nd0<ne0). In the dust-dominated plume (nd0>ne0) the plasma perturbations are strongly reduced in the ram direction but can significantly compromise the probe measurements in the orbiter wake. Simulation results can qualitatively explain the long profiles of the electron–ion imbalance registered by the Cassini Langmuir probe during the flybys E2, E3 and E5. In either case, the plasma perturbations associated with the moving Cassini orbiter appear to be important for reliable interpretations of the Langmuir probe measurements.