A Saturn moon feeds the planet's rings

GREENBELT, Md., Feb. 6 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists have determined ice being ejected from geysers on one of Saturn's moons is being captured by one of Saturn's rings.

Observations from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Cassini spacecraft show the ice geysers on Enceladus, one of Saturn's smaller moons, travel to the outer edge of Saturn's A-ring. Earlier research had shown the geysers adding material to Saturn's E-ring.

"Saturn's A-ring and Enceladus are separated by 100,000 kilometers (62,000 miles), yet there's a physical connection between the two," said William Farrell of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. "Prior to Cassini, it was believed that the two bodies were separate and distinct entities, but Cassini's unique observations indicate that Enceladus is actually delivering a portion of its mass directly to the outer edge of the A-ring."

The study found material spewing from Enceladus becomes electrically charged plasma, and is captured by Saturn's magnetic field.

"This is an example of how Saturn's rings mitigate the overall radiation environment around the planet, sponging up low- and high-energy particles," said Farrell.

The study appears in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.