Journal article
Evidence of an Extended Alfvén Wing System at Enceladus: Cassini's Multi-Instrument Observations
Journal of geophysical research : Space physics (2013 - Present), Vol.131(2), e2025JA034657
02/01/2026
DOI: 10.1029/2025JA034657
Abstract
We report in situ evidence for Enceladus' Alfvén wing system and its coupling with Saturn's ionosphere, based on multi‐instrument observations from the Cassini spacecraft. Analysis of 36 events, including 13 from non‐flyby paths, confirms the existence of a Main Alfvén Wing (MAW) current system generated at Enceladus, and associated Reflected Alfvén Wings (RAWs) occurring both at Saturn's ionosphere and on the density gradient of Enceladus' plasma torus, extending longitudinally to at least ∼ 120° (∼2,000 moon radii) downstream of the moon. Additionally, the observations reveal the systematic existence of a filamentation process of these large‐scale Alfvénic perturbations (MAW and RAWs) during their propagation at any distance from their source. These findings demonstrate a more extensive electrodynamic coupling than previously reported for Enceladus and more generally for any moon‐magnetosphere interaction. Moreover, the observation of energetic electron depletions and water‐group ion signatures at longitudes even further from the moon supports the interpretation of an extended and persistent interaction region. These results highlight Enceladus' role in shaping Saturn's magnetospheric environment and underscore the importance of future missions to exhaustively analyze this type of complex interaction between a moon and a planet.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Evidence of an Extended Alfvén Wing System at Enceladus: Cassini's Multi-Instrument Observations
- Creators
- L. Z. Hadid - Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueT. Chust - Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueJ. E. Wahlund - Swedish Institute of Space PhysicsM. W. Morooka - Swedish Institute of Space PhysicsE. Roussos - Max Planck Institute for Solar System ResearchO. Witasse - European Space Research and Technology CentreJ Rabia - Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueD. Pisa - Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Atmospheric PhysicsK. Kim - Uppsala UniversityN. J.T. Edberg - Swedish Institute of Space PhysicsA. M. Rymer - Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics LaboratoryL. Lamy - Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueS. Kotsiaros - European Space Astronomy CentreS. Aizawa - Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueA. Jeandet - Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueR. Modolo - Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-YvelinesN. André - Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueP. Canu - Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueC. F. Bowers - University of MichiganX. Jia - University of MichiganA. J. Coates - University College LondonG. H. Jones - European Space Research and Technology CentreA. Parsec-Wallis - University College LondonO Agiwal - Boston UniversityM. K.G. Holmberg - Dublin Institute For Advanced StudiesQ. Nénon - Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueH. Cao - Planetary Science InstituteW. S. Kurth - University of IowaM. K. Dougherty - Imperial College London
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of geophysical research : Space physics (2013 - Present), Vol.131(2), e2025JA034657
- DOI
- 10.1029/2025JA034657
- ISSN
- 2169-9380
- eISSN
- 2169-9402
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Grant note
- ST/W001004/1 / Science and Technology Facilities Council (501100000271) VESPA Nicolas Halley and Arthur Paradis Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (http://data.elsevier.com/vocabulary/SciValFunders/501100006489) 871149 / Horizon 2020 Framework Programme (http://data.elsevier.com/vocabulary/SciValFunders/100010661) ST/W001004/1; 22/PATH-S/10757 / Science and Technology Facilities Council (http://data.elsevier.com/vocabulary/SciValFunders/501100000271) Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (http://data.elsevier.com/vocabulary/SciValFunders/501100002830)
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 02/01/2026
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9985139308102771
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