P31B-3983:
In-situ dust detection as a tool to study dust-plasma interactions in the Solar System
Wednesday, 17 December 2014
Ralf Srama1,2, Hsiang-Wen Hsu3, Georg Moragas-Klostermeyer1, Frank Postberg1 and Sascha Kempf3, (1)University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany, (2)Baylor University, Waco, TX, United States, (3)Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, Boulder, CO, United States
Abstract:
The unique results of the Cassini Cosmic Dust Analyzer onboard Cassini revealed the potential of in-situ dust detection for the study of dust-plasma interactions. In-situ techniques are charge induction, impact ionization, momentum transfer, foil depolarization, light scattering or mass spectrometry. Modern instruments like dust telescopes or the Cosmic Dust Analyzer (CDA) onboard Cassini combine different methods in one sensor. This paper gives an overview about in-situ dust measurements in space using direct detection methods. A focus is given to charge induction and impact ionization and their measurement thresholds are described. Major CDA discoveries are summarized and new results of nano-dust stream measurements in the outer Saturnian system are presented. These data show periodicities related to Saturn and its moons, leading to a deeper understanding of nano-dust origins and dynamics in Saturn's magnetosphere.
