NANODUST DETECTION BETWEEN 1 AND 5AU USING CASSINI WAVE MEASUREMENTS

P. Schippers; N. Meyer-Vernet; A. Lecacheux; S. Belheouane; M. Moncuquet; W. S. Kurth; I. Mann; D. G. Mitchell; N. Andre

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/806/1/77

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NANODUST DETECTION BETWEEN 1 AND 5AU USING CASSINI WAVE MEASUREMENTS

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NANODUST DETECTION BETWEEN 1 AND 5AU USING CASSINI WAVE MEASUREMENTS

P. Schippers, N. Meyer-Vernet, A. Lecacheux, S. Belheouane, M. Moncuquet, W. S. Kurth, I. Mann, D. G. Mitchell and N. Andre

The Astrophysical journal, Vol.806(1), pp.1-7

06/10/2015

DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/806/1/77

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Abstract

The solar system contains solids of all sizes, ranging from kilometer-sized bodies to nano-sized particles. Nanograins have been detected in situ in the Earth's atmosphere, near cometary and giant planet environments, and more recently in the solar wind at 1 AU. The. latter nanograins are thought to be formed in the inner solar system dust cloud, mainly through the collisional break-up of larger grains, and are then picked up and accelerated by the magnetized solar wind because of their large charge-to-mass ratio. In the present paper, we analyze the low frequency bursty noise identified in the Cassini radio and plasma wave data during the spacecraft cruise phase inside Jupiter's orbit. The magnitude, spectral shape, and waveform of this broadband noise are. consistent with the signatures of the nano particles that traveled. at solar wind speed. and. impinged. on the spacecraft surface. Nanoparticles were observed whenever the radio instrument was turned on and able to detect them. at different heliocentric distances between Earth and Jupiter, suggesting their ubiquitous presence in the heliosphere. We analyzed the radial dependence of the nanodust flux with heliospheric distance and found that it is consistent with the dynamics of nanodust originating from the inner heliosphere and picked. up by the solar wind. The contribution of the nanodust produced in the asteroid belt appears to be negligible compared to the trapping region in the inner heliosphere. In contrast, further out, nanodust is. mainly produced by the volcanism of active moons such as Io and Enceladus.

Astronomy & Astrophysics

Physical Sciences

Science & Technology

Details

Title: Subtitle: NANODUST DETECTION BETWEEN 1 AND 5AU USING CASSINI WAVE MEASUREMENTS
Creators: P. Schippers - Janssen (United States)
N. Meyer-Vernet - Laboratoire d’études spatiales et d’instrumentation en astrophysique
A. Lecacheux - Observatoire de Paris
S. Belheouane - Observatoire de Paris
M. Moncuquet - Observatoire de Paris
W. S. Kurth - University of Iowa
I. Mann - European Incoherent Scatter Scientific Association
D. G. Mitchell - Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
N. Andre - Roche (France)
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: The Astrophysical journal, Vol.806(1), pp.1-7
DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/806/1/77
ISSN: 0004-637X
eISSN: 1538-4357
Publisher: Iop Publishing Ltd
Number of pages: 7
Grant note: CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales) agency; Centre National D'etudes Spatiales 1415150 / NASA; National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Language: English
Date published: 06/10/2015
Academic Unit: Physics and Astronomy
Record Identifier: 9984455554602771

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