Scientific Investigations

INVESTIGATION SATURN ENCOUNTER OBJECTIVES

Imaging science Planetary meteorology; satellite geology; ring structure and dynamics

Infrared interferometry Atmospheric composition, thermal structure and dynamics; satellite surface composition and thermal properties; ring composition

Radio science Atmospheric and ionospheric structure, constituents, and dynamics at Saturn and Titan; ring particle size

Ultraviolet spectroscopy Upper atmospheric composition and structure; auroral processes; distribution of ions and neutral atoms in the Saturn system

Magnetic fields Planetary magnetic field; magnetospheric structure

Plasma particles Magnetospheric ion and electron distribution; solar wind interaction with Saturn; ions from satellites

Plasma waves Plasma electron densities; wave-particle interactions; low-frequency wave emissions

Planetary radio astronomy Polarization and spectra of radio-frequency emissions; plasma densities

Low-energy charged particles Distribution, composition, and flow of energetic ions and electrons; satellite-energetic particle interactions

Cosmic ray particles Distribution, composition, and flow of high-energy trapped nuclei; energetic electron spectra

41

“Notre voyageur connaissait merveilleusement les lois de la gravitation, et toutes les forces attractives et répulsives. Il s’en servait si à propos, que tantôt à l’aide d’un rayon de soleil, tantôt par la commodité d’une comète, il allait de globe en globe, lui et les siens, comme un oiseau voltige de branche en branche.”

“Our voyager knew marvelously the laws of gravitation, and all attractive and repulsive forces. He used them in such a timely way that, once with the help of a ray of sunshine, another time thanks to a cooperative comet, he went from globe to globe, he and his kin, as a bird flutters from branch to branch.”

VOLTAIRE—Micromégas, Histoire Philosophique, 1752.

42

JPL 400-100 12/80