Counter Data of the Cosmic Dust Analyzer aboard the Cassini spacecraft and possible 'dust clouds' at Saturn

摘要

We present the impact rates of dust particles recorded by the Cosmic DustAnalyzer (CDA) aboard the Cassini spacecraft. The "dust counters" evaluate thequality of an impact and give rise to the apparent density of dust particles inspace. The raw data is pre-selected and refined to a new structure that serves to abetter investigation of densities, flows, and properties of interplanetary dustgrains. Our data is corrected for the dead time of the instrument andcorresponds to an assumed Kepler orbit (pointing of the sensitive area). Theprocessed data are published on the website for the Magnetosphere and PlasmaScience (MAPSview), where it can be correlated with other Cassini instruments. A sample is presented for the Titan flyby on DOY 250/2006. We find that thedust density peaks at two times, at least, in a void region between Titan andRhea. Such features may point to extended clouds of small particles driftingslowly in space. These density clouds seem to be stable for as long as severalmonths or few years before dispersing.