Bhardwaj, Anil ; Elsner, Ronald F. ; Waite Jr., J. Hunter ; Gladstone, G. Randall ; Cravens, Thomas E. ; Ford, Peter G. (2005) The discovery of oxygen kα X-ray emission from the rings of Saturn Astrophysical Journal Letters, 627 (1). L73-L76. ISSN 0004-637X
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Official URL: http://iopscience.iop.org/1538-4357/627/1/L73
Related URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/431933
Abstract
Using the Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS), the Chandra X-Ray Observatory observed the Saturnian system for one rotation of the planet (~37 ks) on 2004 January 20 and again on January 26-27. In this Letter we report the detection of X-ray emission from the rings of Saturn. The X-ray spectrum from the rings is dominated by emission in a narrow (~130 eV-wide) energy band centered on the atomic oxygen Kα fluorescence line at 0.53 keV. The X-ray power emitted from the rings in the 0.49-0.62 keV band is 84 MW, which is about one-third of that emitted from Saturn's disk in the photon energy range 0.24-2.0 keV. Our analysis also finds a clear detection of X-ray emission from the rings in the 0.49-0.62 keV band in an earlier (2003 April 14-15) Chandra ACIS observation of Saturn. Fluorescent scattering of solar X-rays from oxygen atoms in the H2O icy ring material is the likely source mechanism for ring X-rays, consistent with the scenario of the solar photoproduction of a tenuous oxygen atmosphere and ionosphere over the rings recently discovered by Cassini.
Item Type: | Article |
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Source: | Copyright of this article belongs to American Astronomical Society. |
ID Code: | 2491 |
Deposited On: | 08 Oct 2010 07:11 |
Last Modified: | 16 May 2016 13:28 |
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