@article{Hadid:2026:10.1029/2025JA034657,
author = {Hadid, LZ and Chust, T and Wahlund, JE and Morooka, MW and Roussos, E and Witasse, O and Rabia, J and Pisa, D and Kim, K and Edberg, NJT and Rymer, AM and Lamy, L and Kotsiaros, S and Aizawa, S and Jeandet, A and Modolo, R and André, N and Canu, P and Bowers, CF and Jia, X and Coates, AJ and Jones, GH and Parsec-Wallis, A and Agiwal, O and Holmberg, MKG and Nénon, Q and Cao, H and Kurth, WS and Dougherty, MK},
doi = {10.1029/2025JA034657},
journal = {Journal of Geophysical Research Space Physics},
title = {Evidence of an Extended Alfvén Wing System at Enceladus: Cassini's Multi-Instrument Observations},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2025JA034657},
volume = {131},
year = {2026}
}

Download

TY  - JOUR
AB  - We report in situ evidence for Enceladus' Alfvén wing system and its coupling with Saturn's ionosphere, based on multi-instrument observations from the Cassini spacecraft. Analysis of 36 events, including 13 from non-flyby paths, confirms the existence of a Main Alfvén Wing (MAW) current system generated at Enceladus, and associated Reflected Alfvén Wings (RAWs) occurring both at Saturn's ionosphere and on the density gradient of Enceladus' plasma torus, extending longitudinally to at least (Formula presented.) ((Formula presented.) 2,000 moon radii) downstream of the moon. Additionally, the observations reveal the systematic existence of a filamentation process of these large-scale Alfvénic perturbations (MAW and RAWs) during their propagation at any distance from their source. These findings demonstrate a more extensive electrodynamic coupling than previously reported for Enceladus and more generally for any moon-magnetosphere interaction. Moreover, the observation of energetic electron depletions and water-group ion signatures at longitudes even further from the moon supports the interpretation of an extended and persistent interaction region. These results highlight Enceladus' role in shaping Saturn's magnetospheric environment and underscore the importance of future missions to exhaustively analyze this type of complex interaction between a moon and a planet.
AU  - Hadid,LZ
AU  - Chust,T
AU  - Wahlund,JE
AU  - Morooka,MW
AU  - Roussos,E
AU  - Witasse,O
AU  - Rabia,J
AU  - Pisa,D
AU  - Kim,K
AU  - Edberg,NJT
AU  - Rymer,AM
AU  - Lamy,L
AU  - Kotsiaros,S
AU  - Aizawa,S
AU  - Jeandet,A
AU  - Modolo,R
AU  - André,N
AU  - Canu,P
AU  - Bowers,CF
AU  - Jia,X
AU  - Coates,AJ
AU  - Jones,GH
AU  - Parsec-Wallis,A
AU  - Agiwal,O
AU  - Holmberg,MKG
AU  - Nénon,Q
AU  - Cao,H
AU  - Kurth,WS
AU  - Dougherty,MK
DO  - 10.1029/2025JA034657
PY  - 2026///
SN  - 2169-9380
TI  - Evidence of an Extended Alfvén Wing System at Enceladus: Cassini's Multi-Instrument Observations
T2  - Journal of Geophysical Research Space Physics
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2025JA034657
VL  - 131
ER  - 

Download