Radio and plasma wave observations during Cassini's Grand Finale

W. S. Kurth (1) , Patrick Canu (2) , B. Cecconi (3) , W. M. Farrell (4) , G. Fischer (5) , Patrick H. M. Galopeau (6) , D. A. Gurnett (1) , G. B. Hospodarsky (1) , L. Lamy (3) , A. Lecacheux (3) , P. Louarn (7) , R. J. Macdowall (8) , J. D. Menietti (1) , M. Morooka (9) , A. Pedersen (10) , A. M. Persoon (1) , A. Sulaiman (1) , J.-E. Wahlund (9) , P. Zarka (3)

1 Department of Physics and Astronomy [Iowa City]
2 LPP - Laboratoire de Physique des Plasmas
3 LESIA - Laboratoire d'études spatiales et d'instrumentation en astrophysique
4 GISS - NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies
5 IWF - Space Research Institute of Austrian Academy of Sciences
6 HELIOS - LATMOS
7 IRAP - Institut de recherche en astrophysique et planétologie
8 GSFC - NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
9 IRF - Swedish Institute of Space Physics [Uppsala]
10 UiO - University of Oslo

Cassini has commenced its high inclination Grand Finale orbits with perikrones falling between the inner edge of the D ring and the upper limits of Saturn's atmosphere. The Cassini Radio and Plasma Wave Science (RPWS) instrument makes a variety of observations in these unique orbits including Saturn kilometric radiation, plasma waves such as auroral hiss associated with Saturn's auroras, dust via impacts with Cassini, and the upper reaches of Saturn's ionosphere. This paper will provide an overview of the RPWS results from this new and final phase of the Cassini mission with the unique opportunities afforded by the orbit.

Domains: Sciences of the Universe [physics]

W. S. Kurth, Patrick Canu, B. Cecconi, W. M. Farrell, G. Fischer, et al.. Radio and plasma wave observations during Cassini's Grand Finale. European Planetary Science Congress 2017, Sep 2017, Riga, Latvia. ⟨insu-01660757⟩