Cassini Plasma Spectrometer(CAPS) - Electron Spectrometer

PI: Dr. David T. Young

News: On 5 January 1999 the CAPS instrument was switched on and found to be working correctly.

CAPS Principal Investigator:

Dr. David T. Young

Instrumentation and Space Research Division
Southwest Research Institute
Po Drawer 28510
San Antonio, Tx 78228-0510

CAPS General Description:

The Cassini Plasma Spectrometer (CAPS) will measure the flux of ions as a function of mass per charge, and the flux of ions and electrons as a function of energy per charge and angle of arrival relative to CAPS. Deflection of the electrons in the electric field enable the individual electrons to be counted whereby the energy and diretion are determined.

CAPS Scientific Objectives:

To measure the composition of ionized molecules originating from Saturn's ionosphere and Titan.
To investigate the sources and sinks of ionospheric plasma: ion inflow/outflow, particle precipitation.
To study the effect of magnetospheric/ionospheric interaction on ionospheric flows.
To investigate auroral phenomena and Saturn Kilometric Radiation (SKR) generation.
To determine the configuration of Saturn's magnetic field.
To investigate the plasma domains and internal boundaries.
Investigate the interaction of the Saturn's magnetosphere with the solar wind and solar-wind driven dynamics within the magnetosphere.
Study the microphysics of the bow shock and magnetosheath.
Investigate rotationally driven dynamics, plasma input from the satellites and rings, and radial transport and angular momentum of the magnetospheric plasma.
Investigate magnetotail dynamics and substorm activity.
Study reconnection signatures in the magnetopause and tail.
To characterize the plasma input to the magnetosphere from the rings.
To characterize the role of ring/magnetosphere interaction in ring particle dynamics and erosion.
To study dust-plasma interactions and evaluate the role of the magnetosphere in species transport between Saturn's atmosphere and rings.
To investigate auroral phenomena and Saturn Kilometric Radiation (SKR) generation.
To study the interaction of the magnetosphere with Titan's upper atmosphere and ionosphere.
To evaluate particle precipitation as a source of Titan's ionosphere.
To characterize plasma input to magnetosphere from the icy satellites.
To study the effects of satellite interaction on magnetospheric particle dynamics inside and around the satellite flux tube.

CAPS Sensing Instruments:

Ion Mass Spectrometer
Ion Beam Spectrometer
Electron Spectrometer
Data Processing Unit
Scan Motor

CAPS Instrument Characteristics:

Mass (current best estimate) = 12.50 kg
Average Operating Power (current best estimate) = 14.50 W
Average Data Rate (current best estimate) = 8.00 kilobits/s

COLLABORATORS	INSTITUTION	COUNTRY	ROLE
A. Coates	MSSL	UK	ELS lead (mechanical, calibration integration, operations, science)
M. Grande	RAL	UK	ELS (HV units, MCP+ amps electrical integration, science)
Others From;	NDRE	Norway	ELS (SMU, science)
...	Los Alamos	USA	IMS & IBS hardware
...	CETP	France	IMS hardware
...	GSFC	USA	IMS hardware
...	VTT	Finland	Actuator, IBS hardware
...	KFKI	Hungary	EGSE
...	OMP	France	Science
...	JPL	USA	Science
...	Rice University	USA	Science
...	U Virginia	USA	Science
...	U Oulu	Finland	Science

UK COST; Ł1,046K

CONTACT FOR PRESS ENQUIRIES: Dr Andrew Coates - 01483 204145 or Dr Manuel Grande - 01235-446501

Prof. Manuel Grande
Last updated: 11 June 2001