Explosive Energy

Scientists have recently discovered evidence for the existence of explosive releases of energy in Saturn's magnetic bubble. This was done using data from the Cassini spacecraft.

These explosive releases of energy are produced through magnetic reconnection. Magnetic reconnection is a process where oppositely directed magnetic field lines in a plasma break and reconnect. Throughout this process, magnetic energy is converted to thermal energy, kinetic energy, and particle acceleration. Magnetic reconnection typically takes place on timescales between Alfcenic timescales and resistive diffusion, and it is involved in many events in the solar system, such as solar magnetic activity and auroras near the polar regions of magnetized planets.

These scientists found that the Cassini spacecraft encountered a region of Saturn where magnetic reconnection was occurring. This has given them an idea of how Saturn's magnetosphere eliminates gas from its moon, Enceladus.

A magnetosphere is the space surrounding an astronomical object that is controlled by the object's magnetic field. Magnetospheres vary in type and structure depending on certain factors. The type of astronomical object, the object's spin period, the magnetic dipole axis, solar wind flow direction and magnitude, the type of axis on which the object spins, and the nature of sources of plasma and momentum all play a role in determining the type and structure of magnetospheres. Magnetospheres can also be classified into two categories: intrinsic and induced. A magnetosphere is considered intrinsic when the main opposition to the solar wind flow is the object's magnetic field. A magnetosphere is considered induced if the object's magnetic field does not oppose the solar wind flow. A magnetosphere is neither intrinsic nor induced if the radius of the object is equal to the Chapman-Ferraro distance (i.e. the distance at which an object can resist the solar wind pressure).

The results that these scientists discovered show that all plasma is able to escape from Saturn's magnetosphere. They had previously thought that magnetic reconnection prevented this from occurring when this wasn't actually the case.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151201094239.htm