Water masers in the Saturnian system
| Autor: | Guifré Molera, Moshe Elitzur, Jouko Ritakari, S. Pluchino, Minttu Uunila, E. Salerno, Jan Wagner, Giuseppe Maccaferri, Leonid I. Gurvits, Ari Mujunen, C. B. Cosmovici, Sergei Pogrebenko, I. M. Avruch, Stelio Montebugnoli |
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| Rok vydání: | 2009 |
| Předmět: |
Physics
Solar System Spacecraft business.industry Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena Astronomy Astronomy and Astrophysics Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics law.invention Astrobiology Radio telescope symbols.namesake Space and Planetary Science law Planet Physics::Space Physics symbols Astrophysics::Earth and Planetary Astrophysics Maser Enceladus business Titan (rocket family) Astrophysics::Galaxy Astrophysics Water vapor |
| Zdroj: | Astronomy & Astrophysics. 494:L1-L4 |
| ISSN: | 1432-0746 0004-6361 |
| Popis: | Context. The presence of water has long been seen as a key condition for life in planetary environments. The Cassini spacecraft discovered water vapour in the Saturnian system by detecting absorption of UV emission from a background star. Investigating other possible manifestations of water is essential, one of which, provided physical conditions are suitable, is maser emission. Aims. We report detection of water maser emission at 22 GHz associated with several Kronian satellites using Earth-based radio telescopes. Methods. We searched for water maser emission in the Saturnian system in an observing campaign using the Metsahovi and Medicina radio telescopes. Spectral data were Doppler-corrected over orbital phase for the Saturnian satellites, yielding detections of water maser emission associated with the moons Hyperion, Titan, Enceladus, and Atlas. Results. The detection of Saturnian water molecules by remote astronomical observation can be combined with in situ spacecraft measurements to harmonise the physical model of the Saturnian system. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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