Abstract
The spatial and compositional distribution of the thermal plasma in the magnetosphere of Saturn is described in the light of the Voyager encounters. Theoretical considerations are applied to the elucidation of the structure, including two external and two internal boundaries. The outer boundary is a magnetohydrodynamic entity while the inner boundary of locally created thermal plasma is a result of the dissociative recombination of corotating molecular ions. The internal boundaries are explained as a charge exchange quasi-resonance phenomenon.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 3821-3828 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Journal of Geophysical Research |
| Volume | 89 |
| Issue number | A6 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1984 |