Modeling of the Interaction of Enceladus with the Magnetosphere of Saturn

Introduction: The numerical modeling of the interaction between the atmosphere of Enceladus and the Kronian magnetosphere is a complex problem due to the diversity of the physical and chemical mechanisms involved in shaping the environment of this icy moon. The Kronian magnetosphere at the orbital distance of Enceladus can be seen as a supersonic, sub-Alvenic plasma co-rotating with Saturn and embedded in the strong magnetic field of the planet. The water vapor released from the south pole terrain adds to the neutral atoms and molecules that are sputtered from the surface of Enceladus by energetic ions, photons and through meteoroid bombardment to form a tenuous supersonic expanding neutral atmosphere. The released neutral gas is partially ionized and dissociated by EUV radiation, charge exchange and electron impact ionization. The created ions are picked up and a weak mass loading phenomenon forms in which mass, momentum, and energy are exchanged between the Kronian plasma and the original atmosphere of Enceladus. In this paper we present the latest results of the three-dimensional multi-fluid model of the interaction between Enceladus and the magnetosphere of Saturn. This model is based on the numerical code initially developed to simulate cometary atmospheres. It is designed to use the capabilities of highly parallel supercluster computers [1].